Till You Love Me
by Edwardforever2
Summary: Edward Cullen is a successful and wealthy attorney who wants for nothing, that is until he sets out to win the friendship and love of inmate Bella Swan who coming from humble beginnings, sees the world through very different eyes. While he embarks on this mission to get into her head and heart, he doesn't realize that he in fact is the one being transformed from the inside out
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Hey guys here is my new story called "Till You Love Me". This will be a drabble and I will try to update at least once a day if not more. Edward's character is that of an out of touch with reality and very wealthy man, who did not come from humble beginnings and has had everything given to him on a silver platter. He is not heartless; but just spoiled and not use to hearing NO! That is until the lovely Bella has to reprogram his thinking by introducing him to a world he never really knew existed. Before her, he never cared to try and understand. He is possessive but loving, so if you do not like a controlling, Edward this may not be the story for you. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!**

**Special thanks to my wonderful Beta Reader, "princess07890", thanks for making sure this story flows correctly!**

**Chapter 1**

**A Silver Spoon Life**

**EPOV**

"Are you taking a lunch today?" Emmett, my business partner, said sticking his head inside my office door as I read an email forwarded to me from Alice, my assistant.

"Yeah, just give me a sec; I'm trying to figure out what this email is about that Alice has sent me; we sponsor a charity for a women's prison?"

"Uh yeah, the Washington Corrections Center for Women; remember, your mom added that to our list of charities over four years ago." Emmett said.

"She did? Why didn't I know about it?"

"Dude, you write a huge check every year to help fund free immunization shots for children of the prisoners who have become wards of the state or have no private insurance." Emmett said looking at me incredulously.

"I do, huh?" I asked while raising my eyebrows and sitting back in my seat staring back at the email.

"Well then, good for me; I guess I'm doing my part for the less fortunate. So, what is this letter stuff about that Alice is referring to in this email; it sounds like I already do enough for this facility."

Emmett laughed through his nose and shook his head before answering me.

"Well, your highness, if it's not too boring for you, your mother has requested that since we are approaching the holiday season, we each sponsor a prisoner by requesting their holiday wish list and granting one or more of their wishes. There are several companies throughout the state of Washington that participate in this program and Esme wants us to participate this year. That is if your schedule allows, of course." He said clasping his hands together and bowing in mockery.

"Save the smart ass comments, okay. I just don't know why I have to write a letter to get a wish list. Can't she just request them all and I send Alice to go shopping for the gifts. I'm sure Alice would love any excuse to end up in a mall."

"I'm pretty sure, even for Alice, this would not be a shopping trip she could handle by herself. There would be far too many gifts to get."

"Just how many damn inmates are we sponsoring?"

"There are a little over seven hundred women at this facility and since we are one of the larger law firms in the Seattle area, Esme signed us up to sponsor one hundred inmates. Now, our Executive staff consists of eight people and they have all agreed to write letters to two inmates each requesting their list. Our management staff consists of twenty six people, who have also agreed to write to two prisoners each. Our administrative staff, including all of our PA's, will write to one inmate each, which is another twelve letters. You and I have been assigned to one each, which is what you see in your email inbox and Esme, along with other staff members who volunteered from other departments. Including the mailroom, will cover the other eighteen inmates." Emmett said, letting out a wary breath.

I clicked on the attachment to open up the contact information for the inmate I was assigned to, but I was not prepared at all for what I saw. There, in bold letters, was my inmate's information, which included a brief description:

_Inmate name: Isabella M. Swan_

_Race: Caucasian_

_Age: 23_

_D.O.B.: 9/13/1988_

_Hair color: Brown_

_Eye color: Brown_

_Length of sentence: 5 years (eligible for parole after 24 months)_

_Charge: Involuntary Manslaughter_

_Entry date: October 7, 2011_

But it wasn't the words that caught my attention, it was the photograph below the words that made my heart almost stop as I looked at the most angelic and mesmerizing brown eyes I have ever seen. What could have went so wrong that she ended up here and why couldn't I look away from my computer screen?

**A/N: Okay, here's chapter one. Please read and leave a review to let me know what you think. Should I continue?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: First I would like to thank CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter and Stormy315 for your wonderful reviews and also those who signed up for favorite author or story alerts. I really appreciate the support and encouragement; I will do my best to make this interesting for. So, here is chapter two!**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Thank you to my Beta princess07890**

**Chapter 2**

**Strange Desires**

**EPOV**

I stared at the image on my computer screen for what seemed like hours. Suddenly writing a letter to request her wish list didn't feel like such a burden anymore, but rather a desire. I leaned in closer to get a better look at her long chestnut colored hair that had a very natural wave pattern, her full lips, her heart shaped face, and those eyes, oh my God; the things looking into those eyes were doing to me.

I looked at her profile again and grimaced at how young she is.

"Wow, she's ten years my junior, that's pretty young." I looked up to see Emmett staring at me with his brows furrowed.

"What difference does it make how old she is? You're just playing Santa to her this year, that's all." He said, standing up and walking towards the door.

"I'm going to grab my wallet from my office and I'll meet you in the lobby."

"Yeah, I'll be right down." I said, never looking away from my screen.

There was another light knock on my door before Alice appeared and walked over to me with a file folder.

"Here are all the documents you will need for tomorrow morning and I have confirmed with the title company that the closing is scheduled for 10 A.M." She said while walking around my desk to place it with the rest of my files that were closing this week. She stopped and looked at my screen.

"Who's the beauty on your computer?" she inquired, leaning against my desk.

"Her name is Isabella Swan." I stated simply

"Oh, she's the inmate in that profile I sent to your inbox this morning. Glad to see you got around to opening it and, just an FYI, I need your letter no later than Friday; we have to get them back over to the prison as soon as possible. Apparently, the mail process there is quite verbose and it can take up to ten days before the inmate actually gets to read your letter."

"Uh huh," I said, not really paying attention to Alice, because I was too lost in my thoughts about how soft Isabella's lips looked and what they would feel like if I could kiss her.

"Hello, Edward, did you hear a word I said?" Alice said, interrupting my daydream.

I looked up to find her staring at me with a knowing smirk on her face. I cleared my throat before speaking, hoping she would not hear the anxiousness behind my words.

"Alice, I did not see an address for my inmate in the email." I said, trying to sound as calm and casual as I could.

"An address; seriously Edward?" She said, cocking an eyebrow at me. "Can you even recall the last time you _actually_ mailed a letter yourself? Just write the thing up and I will get it mailed out." She said, rolling her eyes.

Just then, my office door flew open and there stood an agitated Emmett, frowning at me.

"I've been in the lobby for fifteen minutes, what the hell are you doing?!"

"Ogling and drooling" Alice stated as she left out of my office.

I rubbed my hand down my face, wishing my PA knew when to just shut up.

"Over who, the prison girl?" He asked, walking over to my desk.

I quickly hit the power button on my screen and stood up to put on my suit jacket.

"No one, let's go eat," I quickly said, and then passed him to go to the elevators."

"Dude, if you're getting turned on by the prison girl, you seriously need to get laid, like tonight!"

"Shhh, would you lower your voice? I am not getting turned on by anyone." I hissed while looking around to make sure no one was listening

"Don't worry, Eddie; your secret is safe with me." He said placing his hand on my shoulder and I quickly threw it off as we entered the elevator.

OOOOooooooooOOOO

After a long shower and a nice cold beer, I sat down at my kitchen table that evening to begin my letter to Isabella. Not really knowing what to say, I went for casual and tried not to sound too personal ,since this was my first letter to her. Wait… first letter to her? It's only supposed to be one, but how would I be able to stop at one when I can't even stop thinking about her?

I blew out a long breath of air while grabbing a fist full of my hair; this was going to be a long night.

**A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review I love hearing from you guys!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 3**

**Putting it in words**

**EPOV**

**Thank you again to my Beta, princess07890!**

_November 12, 2011_

_Dear Isabella,_

_My name is Edward Cullen and I am writing to you to request your wish list for this holiday season. I received your profile this morning and wanted to write you as soon as possible to ensure you would have your wish or wishes fulfilled in time for Christmas. I hope this letter finds you well and you are not too bothered by a complete stranger writing to you. _

_Please excuse my lack of words, as this is my first time writing to someone in prison and I do not know the do's and don'ts as far as what to say and ask and what not to say and ask. So instead I will tell you a little about myself and I hope not to bore you too much. _

_As I stated before, my name is Edward Cullen, I'm thirty three years old and I live in Seattle. I have one sibling and I am single with no children as of yet, but I do have a seven week old golden retriever. I've had him for three weeks now and he seems to sleep a lot. He is currently at the Vet's office where he stayed overnight to get a couple of shots and a physical to make sure he is growing healthy and I will pick him up tomorrow. Well I do not want to take up too much of your time and I have included my office address for when you are ready to send me your list. Hope to hear from you soon._

_Best Wishes,_

_Edward Cullen._

I placed the letter in an envelope and sealed it closed before placing it in my briefcase. I went to my computer and logged into my work email to look at Isabella's profile again. She was charged with involuntary manslaughter and, after looking at her picture, I just had to do some investigating to find out what happened that made her take another human's life.

I laid down for the night at almost midnight and sleep came very easy as I thought about beautiful brown eyes and soft pouty lips.

**A/N: Here is chapter 3 and I will try to post a few more chapters tomorrow. Once again, thanks for all the support this story is getting.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 4**

**Anxiousness and Curiosity**

**EPOV**

**Bet'd by princess07890**

As I got off the elevator to go to my office the next morning, I made a pit stop at Alice's desk.

"Good morning, Edward, happy Tuesday; you're here awfully early." She said, glancing at the clock on her computer screen.

"Yes, I know… I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. Is anyone else here yet besides you?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but really, I wanted to make sure no one would hear my next request from her.

"Well, of course, if I'm here, Jasper's here, but he is in his office with the door closed. He's going through files."

Jasper is the third partner at our firm and has also been my best friend since the second grade. We met Emmett in high school, he was the football star, but injured his knee in our second year of college and decided to pursue law like Jasper and me. Cullen, Whitlock & McCarty, LLC. is the third largest global business law firm with over twenty two hundred lawyers in sixteen countries. Our corporate office was founded thirty five years ago, right here in Seattle, by my father Carlisle, who is now retired, and Jasper's father Ken Whitlock, who passed away right after Jasper and I took over the firm five years ago. This made us partners, rather than the Senior Associates we were. My sister, Tanya, runs our marketing and advertisement department, while my mother, Esme, handles all charity benefits, donations and scheduling of pro-bono work hours that our firm offers annually to help put small businesses and individuals who need help with reading and drawing up contracts at little or no cost. Our newest addition to our management team in this office was Rosalie Hale, a feisty attorney from New York, who is now running our Sports Media and Entertainment department.

Our many sectors include: Banking and Financial Services, Energy and Water, Health Care, Hospitality and Leisure, Insurance and Reinsurance, Life Sciences, Sports, Media and Entertainment, Technology and Transportation.

Our areas of practice very from Antitrust and EU Competition, Commercial Contracts, Construction, Corporate, Cross-Border Litigation, Employment, Pensions and Benefits, Finance, Intellectual Property, International Arbitration, International Trade, Litigation and Arbitration, Product Liability, Projects and Infrastructure, Real Estate, Regulatory and Government Affairs, Restructuring, Tax, Technology and Media, and White Collar Corporate Crimes and Investigations. We are a multi-billion dollar firm and our corporate office alone is home to more than three hundred of our corporate attorneys.

"Did you need something?" Alice said bringing me back to the present.

"Yes, actually I do, if I can trust you to be very discreet."

"Sounds serious, what do you need?"

I pulled the envelope that contained the letter I had written to Isabella from my briefcase and handed it to Alice.

"This is my letter to Isabella Swan, requesting her wish list, please get this out today."

She furrowed her brows before speaking.

"Esme told me to mail all the letters together on Friday."

I rolled my eyes, because I had to wonder, whose PA Alice was sometimes, mine or my mother's.

"Alice, you do realize I sign your pay checks, right?"

She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in her seat, cocking an eyebrow at me.

"Your point is?"

Alice was no pushover and could be a firestorm if rubbed the wrong way, but she was good at her job and the best PA I had had in my nine years of practice.

"Alright, Alice, please cut me some slack here and, for once, just do what I tell you."

"Fine, Edward, I will mail the letter on my lunch break."

"Thank you, Alice, oh wait, will Jasper be with you on lunch?"

I quickly added because I didn't want him to know about this.

"No, he's only working a half day today because Lilly has a doctor's appointment. So, don't worry, Edward, this will stay between just us, for now, at least."

"I appreciate it, Alice. Could you pull up any court documents you can find on Ms. Swan's case? I just want to know what happened that landed her in jail."

"Sure, Edward, I will get right on it." She said, cheesing at me.

"Oh, and Alice…"

"I know, Edward, my lips are sealed, don't worry."

"Thanks, I'll be in my office."

As I sat down and anxiously waited for my computer to boot up, I thought about what Isabella might think once she received my letter. Would she just want to send me her wish list and never talk to me again, or would she write back, in hopes of making a new friend? I knew how insane it was for me to even think about trying to befriend this girl who would be in prison for at least the next two years, but, at the moment while I loaded her profile up again to look at her picture, my heart just wouldn't listen to my head, at least not the one that housed my brain!

**A/N: Thank you to all that reviewed and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Again I would like to give a special thanks to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97 & 3 guests for the reviews and wonderful feedback! Also thanks again to those who signed up for favorites and alerts. Without further ado here is chapter 5.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 5**

**Exercising Patience**

**EPOV**

**Thank you to my Beta, princess07890**

It's been eight days since Alice mailed my letter to Isabella and I am losing my mind waiting on a response. I wonder if she has even received my letter yet and, if so, why had I not heard anything back? Did she not want to respond, or had she just not gotten around to writing back yet?

I tried to busy myself with updating files and reading over contracts, but, for the last week ,I have passed a lot of work off to some of the associate attorneys because I just haven't been able to focus.

"Knock, knock"

I looked up to see Jasper walking into my office and I quickly minimized my screen because I didn't want him to see Isabella's profile and picture on my screen for the hundredth time in the last week.

"Jasper, what's going on, buddy?" I asked as I sat back in my chair, running my hand through my hair.

"Emmett and I are going to grab a beer after work, care to join us?"

"Sure, sounds good, what time are we leaving the office?" I said, kind of excited about going out, because I really needed a distraction from thinking about Isabella.

The only information Alice was able to find through the records, was that she was charged on August 27, 2011 with involuntary manslaughter against a man named Riley Bierman. She had pleaded not guilty, claiming self defense, but the prosecutor was still able to make the charges stick. She was sentenced on October 7, 2011 and there has been an appeal filed on her behalf since, which will probably go nowhere because of the shitty public defender who is working her case. His name is Mike Newton and I went to law school with him. How the guy made it out of law school is still a mystery to me.

"Alright then, I'll swing back by here at five o clock since Alice is hanging out with Rose and Tanya at your parents' house after work; I don't have to drive her home."

"Speak of the devil," I said as my sister, Tanya, walked into my office.

"Well hello there, beautiful" Jasper drawled while taking in my sister's attractiveness with a smile.

Jasper loved Alice, no doubt about that; she was the center of his world, but I knew he had always had a thing for my sister since childhood. She was sort of his forbidden fruit the one he could always look at, but never touch.

"Hey Jasper, how are you? She said, beaming back at him.

"I am well, Tanya; I can't complain. Edward, I'll see you this evening." He said, getting up and leaving my office.

"What's up, sis?" I said, turning my attention to my younger sister who acted more like my spoiled child.

Tanya is eight years younger than I am; while she was in college, I basically gave her whatever she wanted as long as she kept her grades up. My parents were not too happy when they found out I had bought her an Audi R8 her sophomore year of undergrad school, but what are big, _rich_ brothers for?

"Mom wanted to know if you were bringing a guest on tomorrow for Thanksgiving. She is trying to get a final head count."

"No, I don't think so; it'll just be me. Do you guys need me to pick up anything?"

"No, we're leaving the office today at noon to start our cooking and Irene and Kate will be over to help this evening.

Irene and Kate were our cousins. They live in Forks, Washington with my Aunt Carmen, my mother's sister, and Uncle Eleazer.

"Edward, can you come to my desk, please?" Alice's voice came blaring through my speaker phone.

"Yeah, just give me a sec."

"Alice, mom and I are leaving the office at noon, so, you and Rose can just meet us at the house, okay?" Tanya said, leaning over my desk and speaking into my phone.

"Okay, I'll let Rose know."

"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow and, oh yeah, you'll get to meet Jake." Tanya said, smiling innocently at me.

"Who the hell is Jake, Tanya?" I asked, glaring up at her as I removed my suit jacket and rolled up my sleeves up on my dress shirt.

"Jacob, my boyfriend for the past three months; I told you about him the last time you were at the house visiting." She said, looking nervous.

"Well, I must not have been paying attention because I don't recall _that_ conversation. Has dad met him yet?"

"Yes ,he did, and he gave me the thumbs up and, I would appreciate it if you, Jasper and Emmett don't scare him off tomorrow at dinner." She said, with a pleading look on her face.

"Well, then, he better not fuck up and, as far as not scaring him off, I don't make promises I can't keep, sweetie." I said, lifting her chin and kissing her cheek as I walked out of my office and over to Alice's desk.

"Hey Alice, do you need some files signed off on?" I said, grabbing a pen from her pen holder on her desk.

"No, no files to sign, but this came in the mail today for you." She said, holding out a white envelope to me and, when I looked down and saw that the sender was Isabella Swan, I froze. My mouth went dry and I felt the anxiety coming back again as I stared at the words Washington State Corrections Center for Women below her name.

"Well are you going to take it?" Alice said, waving the envelope in front of me and, as I reached out to grab it, I couldn't stop my hand from shaking. So many thoughts ran through my head, like, what if she only wrote back to tell me to leave her alone? That would be a blow to my heart and ego.

_Okay, Edward, get it together; you don't even know this girl,_ I tried to tell myself. She is in prison for a reason and I needed to accept that, but, somewhere deep in the pit of my stomach, I just knew she really did not belong there.

"Thank you so much, Alice, I'll be in my office; could you hold my calls for the next thirty minutes please?" I requested as I rushed back to my office, and then closed and locked my door.

I placed the envelope on my desk and pulled up her profile with her picture again as my eyes darted back and forth between the envelope and the screen. Finally, I took a deep breath and opened the letter to read Isabella's response, praying she did not turn me away.

**A/N: Hehehe, I know I left you guys hanging, but I am typing the next chapter now and will try to post again tonight. Please leave a review; they make me want to write more!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 6**

**High Hopes**

**EPOV**

**Once again, thanks to my Beta, princess07890, you are truly appreciated!**

As I removed her letter from the envelope, I prepared myself for the worst; her asking me to never write again. If this was her choice, I would have to honor that, and forget all about Isabella Swan. I slowly unfolded her letter and with one more deep breath, I began to read.

November 17, 2011

_Dear Mr. Cullen,_

_Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me; please call me Bella in your future correspondence. I have not been at this facility long enough to have supplies of my own, so I had to borrow a piece of paper, an envelope, and a stamp with the promise to pay it back as soon as I get my own, so forgive me for the delay in my response. I don't know how much you know, or care to know, about me, but, since you were kind enough to give me a little information about yourself I will do the same. My name is Isabella Marie Swan; I am twenty three years old and an only child. My mother Renee died of a drug overdose when I was sixteen and I never knew my father personally. I just know his name is Charlie Swan and he lives somewhere in Chicago. I was born and raised in Arizona and moved to Washington two years ago. I have no children as of yet either and I was married two years ago and recently lost my husband. I was in the process of finishing my third year in college when an unfortunate turn of events happened that landed me in here. _

_As far as a wish list, I guess I had never really thought about it. But, paper, pens, envelopes and stamps would help. I could also use a hair brush, comb, shampoo and conditioner, soap, lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste, an emery board for my nails, since we are not allowed to have metal nail files or nail clippers, and ponytail holders. I understand if you cannot get all of these things and will appreciate any items you send._

_Don't worry about the dos and don'ts of what to ask and not ask, because there really is no right or wrong way to ask me questions. I will answer as honestly as I can and try my best to give you the insight you may be searching for. Your puppy sounds adorable and I hope his physical came back with a good report. Well, I hope to hear from you again, but, if not, thanks for reaching out to me at least this one time. You are the first person to write me a letter since I have been here. By the way, what is your dog's name?_

_Sincerely, _

_Bella Swan_

I read her letter at least ten more times, memorizing every word; smiling at that fact that she actually wanted to hear from me again. However, it saddened me to read what her wish list was; they were such simple things that I took for granted in everyday life, basic necessities. Things that I never gave a second thought to not having were things she had to borrow and hope she could repay them. Not only would I get everything on her wish list, I would make sure she never had to borrow supplies ever again. I would also try and get her some things that weren't on her list, if possible.

I turned off my computer, put on my suit jacket, and headed out to Alice's desk.

"Alice, I am leaving for a couple of hours, but tell Jasper I will be back before five."

"Alright, is everything okay?" she asked, looking at me curiously.

"Yeah, I just need to run out and get some… some items for Isa…er… Bella."

"Bella?"

"Yes, that's what she asked me to call her in her letter."

"I see; anything I can help with?" she inquired, giving me a knowing smile.

"Uh, actually yeah, if you don't mind, I could use your help. I don't know anything about buying female toiletries."

"My pleasure; just let me grab my coat and purse and I'll meet you downstairs."

With Alice's help, I would get everything she needed to stock up her supplies and then I would find out what she really wants for Christmas!

**A/N: There you have it folks, Bella finally speaks! Who can guess what questions Edward will ask her and just how much she will divulge to a stranger? Thank you for the reviews you guys are GREAT and I love reading them! Chapter 7 coming up soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 7**

**Curious Minds**

**EPOV**

**Bet'd by princess07890**

Alice and I picked up everything on Bella's list and also some tampons and pads, all Alice's idea, which I would have never thought to get. Alice also informed me that I could send money to put on Bella's books so that, if she needed anything else she could purchase them herself, which would include supplies.

Thanksgiving dinner the next day was interesting and fun. We laughed, talked, ate good food, heard intriguing stories and I even got a kick out of watching Emmett try to get Rose's attention all night, but she's a tough one and did not so easily fall for his "charm" like he is use to women doing. Eventually, she gave in after a couple of glasses of wine. Jacob seemed nice, but I wouldn't be a big brother if I didn't give him the third degree, but he held up well. Time will tell if he will pass the Cullen test to be worthy of one of our girls. With all the fun I was having, I couldn't stop thinking about Bella and wonder what kind of Thanksgiving she was having.

OOOOooooooooOOOO

I went on the prison website to read about what the prisoners are allowed to have and what is restricted. I learned they have access to email for a small charge as well as kiosks for music downloads. The inmates cannot receive packages until they are out of the reception area which takes forty five to sixty days after their entry date. Unfortunately, stamps are one of the restricted items; they have to purchase those inside. So, unfortunately, we could not send her package right away, but I was able to Western Union $200 to put on her books for her to spend as she pleases.

I sat down to write her another letter to give her my office email address and to see if I could get some of my questions answered as to how she ended up in jail.

November 26, 2011

_Dear Bella,_

_Thank you for writing back; I truly enjoyed hearing from you and learning a little about who you are. It sounds like you have hit some pretty rough roads in life and I have to wonder to myself, how fair is that? I am sorry to hear that you lost your mother at such a young age and so tragically and, as far as your father, I don't know if he knows you exist, but if he does and has chosen to stay away, then that's his loss. Arizona is a nice state; what city did you live in?_

_I was glad to hear you have no children yet, because I would not want to think of them having to be without you during this difficult time. Married, wow! I didn't expect you to say that with you being so young and I am sorry to hear you recently lost your husband. I don't know if that means divorce or death. Does that have anything to do with how you ended up there, if you don't mind me asking? _

_Third year of college, well, that's just fantastic and I hope someday you can finish. What was your major? Can you continue course studies while you are incarcerated? I did manage to get everything on your list and then some, with the help of my personal assistant, Alice, but, unfortunately, you are not quite able to receive packages yet, only mail, and stamps cannot be shipped to you, but rather purchased through the prison. I am familiarizing myself with the rules so that I will know what I can send you and what I cannot, because I don't ever want you to have to borrow anything from anyone again. If you need something, please let me know and I will get it for you or make sure you have the money to purchase it yourself. My puppy's name is Duke, and, yes, his physical report was excellent; he is as healthy as can be. He still sleeps a lot, but, when he is up, he is very active. He likes to sleep with me and, no matter how many times I remove him from my bed, he always finds his way back after I am sleep, so I give up? Any ideas? I didn't tell you this the first time, but I wanted to let you know that when I received your profile for the wish list request, it also came with a picture of you and I have to say you did not look anything like what I expected. Though I don't know what I was expecting, but, if I had to describe you in one word, I would say you are a "natural beauty". _

_Okay, so that was two words, but the natural part is very relevant, because it's a rare quality these days in a world where beauty can be bought for the right price. So, now I am going to address the elephant in the room. How did you end up in prison? If you are not ready to talk about that, I completely understand, but just know, when you are, I am willing to listen. By the way, please call me Edward, Mr. Cullen makes me feel so old. Hope to hear from you real soon. I'm trying to decide on dinner tonight; what's your favorite food?_

_Sincerely,_

_Edward Cullen_

_P.S. my email address is ecullen at , feel free to use it anytime you want._


	8. Chapter 8

**Again a big special thanks to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany & 5 guests for the reviews and wonderful feedback! Also thanks again to those who signed up for favorites and alerts. Here is chapter 8.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 8**

**Breaking the Ice**

**EPOV**

**My wonderful beta is princess07890**

"Hello mother, you are looking as lovely as ever." I said, kissing my mother's cheek as I walked in my parents' house holding Duke in my arms.

"Good morning, baby, and who is this you're holding?" She said, rubbing Duke's head.

"This is the infamous Duke I've been telling you about; I thought I would bring him along for the ride today instead of leaving him in his cage."

Duke's cage is huge in comparison to his size and he has plenty of room to run around and play, but he still hates it.

"Where's dad?" I asked, looking around as we walked to the kitchen and I sat on one of the stools at the island.

"In the shower, he'll be down soon. What are you up to this Saturday morning?" She said, pouring two cups of coffee and bringing them over to the island to sit down with me.

It had been five days since I had written Bella and I had not received another letter or email. She sounded as if she still wanted to talk to me in her letter, so I could only pray she had not changed her mind. I found myself checking with Alice for mail and checking my email inbox quite often and I even signed up to have an alert sent to my iPhone whenever an email would come into my office inbox, which was driving me nuts because I received a lot of emails throughout the course of the work week, but none were from her. However, I did get a confirmation email from the correctional center administrative office yesterday alerting me that the money I sent to Bella had been posted to her books minus an administrative fee of $11. Boy, they charge for everything!

"Edward is everything alright, you look like you have something on your mind?" My mom, said bringing me back to the present.

My mother could read me like a book and, unlike a lot of sons and mothers; she was like my best friend. We are very close and I usually can talk to her about just about anything without the fear of being judged, however, I was a little unsure of what her reaction would be when she learned that I had become friends with an inmate.

"It's nothing, really." I said, softly rubbing Duke under his chin while he slept in my lap.

"What exactly is _nothing_?" She said, looking at me, while giving me a motherly smile.

"The wish list program that our company is participating in this year, I've… um, I've corresponded a few times with my inmate and she seems nice. When I saw her picture, she certainly didn't look like anyone who belonged in prison. I mean, not that there is a certain look, but she looked so young and fragile, you know, innocent."

My mother took a sip of her coffee and then set her cup down on the counter while still holding it between her hands. She spoke, but did not look up at me; instead, she looked at her coffee mug.

"Sweetheart, when you say you've corresponded a few times with her, do you mean beyond asking for her wish list?"

"Yes, and, as far as her wish list is concerned, if that's what you can call it; it was just basic everyday things like toiletries. So, Alice and I went shopping for all the things she asked for, but I can't let that be her Christmas gift; I want to get her something she actually wants and will enjoy."

My mom looked up at me and, for the first time in years, I saw worry in her eyes as she placed one of her hands on top of mine.

"Edward, no one believes in helping the less fortunate or underprivileged more than me; I've dedicated my life's work to it, but, son, be careful and please remember you are still dealing with a prisoner who, for reasons we don't know, was found, without a shadow of a doubt, guilty by a court of law. Now, I am not telling you that what you are doing is wrong, but I _am_ saying don't get too involved, because no matter how innocent she may look, she is incarcerated for a reason."

"I read through some of the court docs from her case, that Alice looked up for me, and she pled not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, claiming self –defense. However, I don't know much more than that."

"Involuntary manslaughter? Have you guys started practicing criminal defense at the firm without telling me?" My dad said, slapping me on the shoulder and taking a seat right next to me.

My mom walked over to pour him a cup of coffee.

"No, dad, no criminal defense sector, we're just discussing the charges against the inmate that I got in the holiday wish list program. How are you doing? Mom told me your back has been bothering you."

"Yeah, well, you know what they say about getting old; once you turn sixty, it's all downhill from there."

"Speak for yourself, old man, because I am still on the incline." My mom said, placing his coffee in front of him and throwing him a wink.

My parents have been married for thirty seven years and they still look at each other in adoration.

"So, what about this inmate, what has you discussing his charges?"

"_Her_ charges and I was just telling mom she pled not guilty, claiming self -defense but the charges stuck. Her attorney filed an appeal, but he's a crappy public defender that I went to law school with, so I doubt that it will get very far."

"You're not thinking about trying to defend her, are you? Because criminal defense is a whole different ball game and it takes years of practice in that area to know how to fight those cases."

"No, nothing like that… I just have this feeling that she was given a raw deal and, without proper legal representation, she can hang up any chance of her sentence being overturned."

"Carlisle, I advised Edward to not get too involved personally, because there is a reason this girl is locked up, and I just don't think he should pursue this." My mom, said leaning back against the counter."

My father got up and walked over to her, placing his arms around her waist and kissing her forehead, before turning back to me and speaking.

"Edward, while I agree with your mother about not getting to personally involved, what I know ,that your mom doesn't know, is that when it comes to being a good attorney, sometimes, we get these gut feelings. Although you cannot make sense out of it at the time, it is that gut feeling that drives us to dig, pry, and find out more until we get to the truth and, if that's what you are feeling, I'd say be very careful. However, follow your instincts; they usually won't lead you wrong." My dad finished by placing another kiss on my mom's cheek while still holding her.

At that moment, I knew why I followed in my dad's footsteps.

Just then my phone vibrated, alerting me to an incoming email and, as I went into my inbox expecting to see another work related email, my heart almost stopped when I saw the sender's name, _WSCCW/Bella Swan._

**A/N: What will Bella say to Edward in her email? Keep reading to find out! Oh and please leave me a review of your thoughts, I am so enjoying hearing from you guys! For those who don't know, WSCCW stands for Washington State Corrections Center for Women.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Big thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany & 6 guests for the reviews they are truly appreciated! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts. Here is chapter 9.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 9**

**Opening Up**

**EPOV**

**Bet'd by princess07890**

"I'm going to let Duke run around the backyard for a while, if you guys don't mind." I said, picking him up and heading to the sliding glass doors.

"That's fine; I should have breakfast ready by the time you come back in." My mom said, offering a small smile.

As I took a seat on one of the wooden benches on their deck, a thousand thoughts ran through my head. With trembling hands, I opened up the email in my inbox to read.

December 1, 2011

_Dear Edward,_

_I don't even know what to say to you, but I will start by saying thank you! Never have I had someone surprise me and catch me so off guard as you have with your generosity. I am still learning the rules and restrictions here myself, so I apologize for making you waste your time and money on items that you cannot even send to me. I received your letter yesterday, but it took me until this morning to work up the courage to reply, not to mention, I spent most of my night re-reading it and crying. _

_You are such a kind person and I am grateful that you are offering me your friendship. Emailing is much easier and I thank you again for the money you sent so that I __**can**__ email you and listen to music when I need a distraction to escape my reality. I get fifteen minutes, three times a day, to email you and I have to wait at least thirty minutes in between each email. So I guess, as to not waste time, we should probably establish certain times of the day when we will email each other. As far as school, the answer is yes, I can take some courses while incarcerated and I am looking into them very soon. My major is pre-med. Duke is such a cool name for your dog and, as far as him sleeping a lot; puppies are like infants. He is still getting use to the outside world and his sleeping pattern will change as he gets older. If I were you, I would probably allow him to continue sleeping in the bed with me, that is, if it doesn't bother you too much. _

_You are kind of like his parent, at least in his eyes, you are. I didn't really know my mother at all, because she was rarely home and my grandmother pretty much raised me until she passed away when I was fifteen. From what she told me, my father has no idea I exist, but my mom gave me his last name. Natural beauty, huh, I don't know if I would quite describe myself as that, but thank you. Flattery will get you __**everywhere**__; Lol! _

_Thank you for taking the time to read the rules and restrictions, but please don't waste too much of your time on me. I am sure you are a very busy man. Okay, and now I guess I owe you some answers and I will start by "addressing the elephant in the room". _

_Yes, I got married at the age of seventeen by lying about my age on the marriage license application and using a fake ID. His name was Riley Bierman and he offered me security, which beat living on the streets. I met him right after my mom died and moved in with him right before my seventeenth birthday. Things were okay, I guess for a while and he was nice enough, until he developed a gambling habit. Scratch off tickets turned into lottery tickets and lottery tickets turned into poker games and poker games turned into casinos and casinos turned into horse racing, which turned into a lot of debt and stress. _

_He started drinking heavily to escape our financial problems and then, the bookies came knocking on our door. First it was just verbal threats, but then they turned violent; beating him up pretty badly on a couple of occasions. Once, they shot him in the hand! He was always in a bad mood and, eventually, he turned his anger towards me. At first, it was a push here and a shove there, followed by apologies and the promise to never touch me again, but the pushes and shoves became slaps and the slaps became punches and kicks. There were some nights I was so sore, it hurt to just breathe; I lost two babies under from his abuse. Having sex with him was like getting raped and was usually right after a beating, which made it even more painful. When he said if I left, he would find me and kill me, I believed him. I started taking birth control pills and when he found them, it became the worst beating I ever received; he was upset that I did not want to get pregnant again by him. Well, eventually, I did get pregnant again and I did everything I could to try not to make him mad. But on August 27, 2011, when he came in almost too drunk to walk, it was unlike any other time; he had lost almost all of our money._

_I just couldn't take another beating and I couldn't let him take another baby from me again. I tried to calm him down, but, after a push to the floor and a kick to my ribs, I snapped and ran and grabbed his Smith & Wesson and let off six shots; two to his head, one in his chest, one in his abdominal area and one in his thigh. The other shot missed him completely and hit the wall. I called the police and told them what happen and that it was self-defense; I even showed them the bruises, but I was still arrested. I could not afford an attorney, so I had to go with a public defender. I don't think I need to tell you how well that worked out for me. _

_My attorney has filed an appeal and we are waiting for a hearing. Now, if all of this is just too much for you to deal with, I truly understand, but, in all honesty, I still thank you from the bottom of my heart, because it felt good just to be able to talk to someone about it. My favorite food is mushroom ravioli and, if you decide to write back, please tell me yours. Well, my time on the kiosk is up, but if you send me an email, I will be able to check it in thirty minutes. Hope to hear from you soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Bella Swan_

I ran my hand over my face and didn't realize I was crying until I felt the wetness on my fingers. How could a so called man do this to someone he was suppose to love, cherish, and protect?! I was furious and I felt like I was going to explode. All I could think about was my mom and sister and how I would kill someone if they ever hurt them and here was this young girl with no one to protect her. But wait, she said she was pregnant again, but she never said she lost this baby. Is Bella pregnant and, if she is, who will care for the baby until she gets out? I had to email her back and find out, because there was no way I was going to leave her on her own now; she was stuck with me whether she wanted to be or not. I will get the best attorneys to defend her and we will get through this…together!

**A/N: Hey guys talk to me, what did you think? I hope I still have your attention! Leave me your thoughts in a review and I will update as soon as I can, thanks guys!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 10**

**Acceptance**

**EPOV **

**Bet'd by the wonderful princess07890!**

I grabbed Duke and quickly made my way back into my parents' house; I had to get to a computer and fast.

"Oh Edward, I was just on my way to get you, breakfast is ready dear." My mom said and, when she took in my appearance, her smile turned into a frown.

"Edward, what's wrong?" She asked; her voice laced with worry.

"I'm fine, mom, just give me about fifteen minutes; I have an email I need to send out. Can I use the computer in your office upstairs?"

"Yes, of course you can, I'll just put your plate in the oven to keep it warm," she said reaching out and rubbing my arm.

"Thanks, mom, I love you." I said, pulling her into a hug before heading upstairs with Duke.

"I love you too, baby."

The computer couldn't boot up fast enough for me and I was rather aggravated with myself right now for not learning how to properly type; I was a two finger key pecker.

I sat Duke down on the floor and he curled up right by my feet and started his favorite pastime, sleeping.

I had no idea what I was going to say to her, but I could not let her check her email in thirty minutes and find nothing from me. I could and would never disappoint her like that. I started typing, or rather pecking, as fast as my two index fingers would allow.

December 1, 2011

9:58 am

To: Bella

From: Edward

_Bella,_

_Where do I begin? First of all, I __**absolutely**__ will not stop talking to you, so please get that out of your head. With that out of the way, let me say I am so sorry you have had to go through all of this by yourself for so long, but I assure you, you will never be alone again! You are stronger than most and a born survivor and __**we**__ will get through this together, one day at a time. The first thing we need to do is fire that shitty attorney of yours, excuse the language but I know him personally and he's an ass with a capital A! I will get you the best criminal defense attorney money can buy, I promise you that. _

_Pre-med, wow, you must be pretty smart; what kind of doctor would you like to be? I would be all thumbs in a profession like that, so I have stuck to offices and a computer; my element is the business world. This next statement is truly out of character for me, because in no way do I advocate violence, but in your case I strongly feel it was justified and I think your husband got exactly what he deserved. No one should have had to suffer through what you have, and again, I am truly sorry you had to. I can't change your past, but I can start working on your future. Please know you have one, and a bright one at that. Okay, here we go again, there's another elephant in the room, but, like the first one, I can't ignore it. _

_Bella, are you pregnant? If so, how far along are you? Please be honest with me and know that I will not judge you or turn you away; I only want to help you. It sounds like your grandmother did the best she could for those fifteen years and I am sorry that the one person who cared and took care of you had to leave you so soon. May God rest her soul. _

_Have you ever tried to find your father? It hardly seems fair to either of you if he never even knew you existed. I wish you were standing in front of me so I could give you the hug that I am positive you need. Hell, I need a hug after reading your email. Please don't thank me anymore for anything I do for you, because I do not do it out of obligation, but rather, out of gratification. Knowing that you are okay and have what you need are all the thanks I need. I will take your advice and I will continue to let Duke sleep with me, but if he gets too spoiled, then, when you get out, I'm sending him to you. _

_My favorite food is pancakes; I can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I never really had a favorite color before, but if I had to pick one, it would be brown; what's yours? What kind of music do you like? Finally, if you could visit any place in the world, where would it be? Please email me back when you get a chance, I am looking forward to hearing from you._

_Truly Yours,_

_Edward_

I hit the send button and, after logging out of my email, I scooped Duke up, and headed down to the kitchen to eat; anxiously waiting for my phone to alert me of a new email.

**A/N: Here you are folks, chapter 10. While I appreciate those who sign up for alerts and favorites, I really need reviews, so please take the time to leave your thoughts, even if it's a short one, thanks.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 11**

**Moving Forward**

**EPOV**

**Bet'd by princess07890**

I did not hear back from Bella that day, in fact, I didn't hear from her in two days and I began to lose it. I've emailed her three more times since Saturday asking if she was okay and if I had said something to offend her, but there was still no response. I read over the last email I sent to her, trying to determine if I had said anything that could have angered her, but I couldn't find anything.

"Good morning, Edward, these files need to be signed off on and Jasper will be out of the office today." Alice said as she came into my office and placed two files down for me to review.

"Alice, can you get one of the associate attorneys to look through these? I'm going to be leaving the office soon? Maybe Emmett can do it; he can review and sign off" I said in an annoyed tone, to which, Alice just stood and looked at me with a brow cocked.

She then walked over and closed the door to my office and came and sat in one of the chairs in front of my desk. She sat down, crossed one leg over the other, and folded her hands together over her knee before speaking.

"Edward, I've known you for many years now and I have come to love you like a brother, but whatever is going on with you right now needs to stop."

I crossed my ankle over my knee and grabbed the bridge of my nose before letting out a long gust of wind.

"Clearly, you have fallen for her, Edward, and because I don't know anything about her, unfortunately, I can't give you much insight. However, since the emails are coming and going more frequently between you two, you should probably change your settings on your email, that sends me a copy of all your emails or you can give her your personal email address."

I snapped my head up to look at Alice with wide eyes.

"You've read our emails?!" I said, raising my voice.

"Oh shut up and calm down!" she said, equally raising hers.

"Of course I haven't read your emails; I would never invade your privacy like that, but I do know you have emailed her four times with no response and that that's the reason for your crappy mood today."

I put my head in my hands and let out a frustrating grunt.

"I don't know why she's not responding and it's killing me Alice, I can't even fucking concentrate and I barely slept last night."

"If you don't mind me asking, why is she incarcerated?"

I sat pondering about whether I should tell Alice why Bella was in jail; I mean, in all actuality, it wasn't my story to tell, but she never asked for me not to tell anyone. I decided, in the end, that Alice was trustworthy enough to confide in; it's not like she would tell anyone.

"She killed her husband." I said flatly

"What! Edward are you just stuck on stupid and glued to dumb?! Why the hell are you pursuing this girl? Do you have a death wish or something?! "

"Alice…"

"No, Edward, don't Alice me; this is dangerous Edward!"

"Alice…"

"Not to mention you know nothing about this girl, like where she is from or what she is capable of. Now, I know it's none of my business but…"

"ALICE!" I screamed, successfully shutting her up and scaring the living shit out of her in the process.

Just then, an email popped into my inbox and, when I clicked on it, I saw it was from Bella. My heart started racing in my chest and I felt like I might have a panic attack.

"Alice, please can we continue this later?"

"Edward, listen to me, you can't…"

"ALICE, PLEASE! I… I'm sorry for yelling at you and I promise I will explain things more clearly later, but, please, I need to talk to Bella right now."

"Fine, Edward, but this is so not over; I love you and you know you can trust me, but I can't let you walk into harm's way."

"I know, Alice, I know… we'll talk later, I promise."

With that, she left out of my office, closing the door behind her and I let my hand hover over my mouse before finally building up the courage to open Bella's email.

**A/N: Don't kill me, I know, very cliffy, but I am taking my niece out to dinner tonight before she moves to California on Saturday, so I just wanted to give you guys a little something. Leave reviews because I love them and, when I get back, I will post another chapter. See you soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Big thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 & 11 guests for the reviews , you guys make me feel so good! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts. Now chapter 12!**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 12**

**Skeptical Hearts**

**EPOV**

**Bet'd by the beautiful princess07890!**

_December 3, 2011_

_9:03 am_

_To: Edward_

_From: Bella_

_Subject: Sorry and please be patient._

_Edward,_

_I hope I have not worried you too much, but I needed some time to get myself and my thoughts together. Your offer to help me is not only surprising, but very overwhelming. You have to understand something about me; I am not very trusting when it comes to men. I never knew my father, and I was not close with my grandfather. He and my grandmother argued all the time about having to raise me, because my mother was on drugs. My grandmother loved me to no end and though, I believe, in his own way, my grandfather did, too. He resented my mother for not taking care of her responsibilities and, therefore, I was more of a burden than anything else to him. I had one boyfriend in high school and he broke my heart after I would not have sex with him and started dating a friend, or a so called friend, of mine. And then, there is my deceased husband, who was my first love and the first man I truly trusted with my heart and he trampled all over me, literally._

_My male attorney did nothing to help me; the prosecutor that fought to get me locked up was a male, and so was the judge that ruled against me. So now, I have you, who it appears you just fell down from the heavens, at least that's what my heart wants to believe, but my head, the logically side of my brain, tells me if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably because it is. So I have to ask, what's in this for you? Why do you want to help me? What is so special about me, who you don't know, that you would put so much time, money, and effort into me so easily? _

_If I accept your help, at what cost am I accepting it? Because my soul is bruised, my heart is heavy, and my brain is wary. I would rather stay here and do my time than to allow someone else into my heart just to have them rip it out. I am sorry if I sound ungrateful for all that you have done, and are trying to do, but I have no one but myself and if I don't protect me, no one will. To address the "elephant in the room" the answer is yes; I am five months pregnant and am due to deliver a wonderful girl or boy on April 30__th__, 2012. I don't know how this new information will affect your decision to help me, but I never expected anything from you, so I understand if I never hear from you again. In other news, that is if you still want to know, my favorite color is green and, if I could go anywhere in the world to visit, it would be Paris, the city of love. _

_Well, I hope I gave you the answers you wanted and now I have to get ready to go see the prison doctor for a prenatal check up. I hope to hear back from you and, if you do decide to write back, please tell me what exactly it is that you do in the business world? Where do you work and what is your occupation. Hope I am not prying too much; thanks again for checking on me._

_Sincerely,_

_Bella_

It never occurred to me that Bella would be skeptical about opening up to me because I was a male and her experiences with the men in her life have **all** been negative. How could I get her to see that this was a no strings attached deal, and that I am not out to get anything from her? Like my father said, it's just a gut feeling and I know she was not given a fair deal. I mean, yes, I won't deny my attraction to her, but I would never force myself on her just because I am helping her and any relationship we had beyond me helping her get a fair trial would be strictly her call. I needed to talk to her and make her understand that I would never expect anything from her for helping her and, if she decided to not have anything to do with me once she was out, I would hate it, but I would respect her wishes. I would never want to do anything to hurt her. I wonder if I give her my number would she call me and, that way, just maybe she can hear the sincerity in my voice.

I quickly started typing back my response, hoping that, when she read my email, she would agree to a phone call.

**A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you guys are enjoying the story. I love hearing all the theories you guys come up with, please keep them coming! I am off to work now and will post again as soon as I get a chance. Review, review, review! Lol!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 13**

**Reassurance **

**EPOV**

**Beta'd by the beautiful princess07890!**

_December 3, 2011_

_9:11 am_

_To: Bella_

_From: Edward_

_Subject: No strings Attached_

_Bella,_

_Let me apologize for not realizing that my offering you help would make you feel so uneasy. I have never dealt with anyone in your situation before on a personal level, so this is very new for me. I told you in the beginning that I don't really know what to say and ask and what not to say and ask, so, please, I need your guidance with this. As far as what's in this for me, the answer is nothing, besides knowing that you've been treated fairly in this case and that our great judicial system is working as it should; it was designed to __**protect**__ those who are, indeed, __**innocent**__. _

_Your friendship is more than welcomed, but not required for my help; there are absolutely no conditions you have to meet for me to help you. I am an upstanding person and I try to do the right thing, most of time; I'm not perfect, but it doesn't stop me from trying to be. I would never bribe, blackmail, or try to extort anything from you in exchange for my help. So, let me rephrase my offer and ask, Bella, do you want my help and, if so, will you allow me to help you in any way I can? _

_In this ball game, __**you**__ are the star player, the one with all the talent; I'm just the coach that's here to show you how to use that talent correctly, so that, this time, you will __**win**__ the game. I would like to get you proper legal representation as soon as possible, but only you can fire and hire attorneys for your case, so please let me know what you want me to do. _

_Okay, the elephant is back in the room; wow, a baby. I don't know what to say to that; I don't know if this is a good thing or a terrible thing in your mind. To me, any life that God brings forth is a good thing, no matter the circumstances behind it, but I certainly believe in women's rights and choices. So, what happens once the baby is here, with its father being deceased, not that he was fit to take care of a child anyway? Do you have no other family? Or, am I assuming wrong; are there any family or friends you have that you would trust raising your son or daughter until you are out? Foster care is an option, I know, but, it's one I am __**not**__ particularly fond of, because so many children just get lost in the system or end up with foster parents that are in it for the state check. _

_On the other hand, there are some really good people out there who want kids, but can't have them and would take very good care of any child placed in their care. The problem is; if you don't have someone definitively in place when the baby is born, then it's a gamble of which life he or she will enter into. I suppose you have some very tough decisions to make and I will be here if you decide to include me in those decisions. How long will you have with the baby before someone else has to take over? I hope you are resting and eating well and not stressing for yourself and the baby. I know this is a very stereotypical question to ask, but, you don't smoke, do you? If you do, what do I have to do to get you to stop? Nicorette gum, the patch, shots, whatever you need, I'll get it. _

_So, you want to know my contribution to the business world? Well, ironically enough, I am an attorney and I work at C.W.M, LLC. in Seattle. I deal mostly with commercial real estate and mergers, but the firm has many sectors in many areas of practice, all except criminal justice. It is very interesting that your favorite color is green, that just so happens to be the color of my eyes, so, good choice. _

_Ah, the city of love, Paris. I've never been but I imagine it's beautiful. I did a six month internship in Venice right before I graduated law school and I always said I would take my wife there someday when I get married. I almost did get married a couple of years ago, but in hind sight I'm glad things did not work out, we were not a good fit and we were in a relationship with each other for all the wrong reasons. _

_Her name is Victoria and she is an attorney, as well, but, whereas I still believe in __**actually**__ being in love with your significant other, she was all about clout and status. I've dated here and there, nothing too serious since then, but I have not found "__**the one**__" as of yet. Changing the subject here, I am sure your grandfather loved you, but, having a child strung out on drugs is one of parent's worst nightmares and I am sure what you saw was more frustration about that reality than you being a burden. _

_As far as your jerk of a boyfriend, what can I say; that's exactly what they are "boys" and, unfortunately, they think with their dicks, excuse the language. Now, as far as your friend, well I don't think I need to tell you she never really was your friend. Well, I hope to hear from you soon and please let me know how the prenatal visit went, hope all is well with you and the little one. Hey, do you think you would want to know the gender, or are you going to wait? _

_Do you have all those crazy cravings that I hear about? Do you need anything like extra pillows, books, or magazines on pregnancy? Please let me know as soon as possible; my assistant, Alice, loves any excuse to shop, so just consider it doing her a favor. There are two questions you never answered, not that you're obligated and, one of them, I can certainly understand if you don't want to. The first one is what kind of doctor do you want to be? The second one is, have you ever tried to find your father? I know you said he is somewhere in Chicago, is that all you know about him? Again, I completely understand if the subject of your father is off limits. I guess I have one more question, would you be opposed to us talking over the phone? My cell number is 206-555-LAW1 (5291; I would really like to talk to you, soon._

_Yours Truly,_

_Edward _

**A/N: Guys I love you so much over 100 reviews, wow thank you! Hope you enjoyed chapter 13, will post again soon! Keep the reviews coming they motivate me to write!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27 & 15 guests for the reviews , you guys make me feel so good! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts. Okay guys here's what you've been waiting for, let's see what Bella really thinks of all this, enjoy chapter 14!**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 14**

**Learning to Trust**

**BPOV**

**Beta'd by princess07890**

"Bella, your pregnancy is coming along quite well and the baby is doing very well. How have you been feeling, any complaints?" Dr. Clearwater, or Leah, as she asked me to call her, asked me sincerely.

"Just a couple of things; I've started getting some lower back pains and I've noticed my feet are starting to swell after work."

I recently, in the last, week got a job in the administrative office, filing paperwork, which is considered light duty for my "condition". I am just happy I can earn a little money. I get paid .60¢ per hour for four hours a day, yep, a whopping $12 a week. This will at least cover some of my toiletries, writing supplies, and monthly email usage, that way Edward will not have to constantly put money on my books.

"Well, the lower back pain is from the excess weight from the baby in your front and, as the baby grows, those pains may get a little more uncomfortable. This can be alleviated by sitting as often as you can and using a pregnancy pillow, or just some extra regular pillows while you are sleeping. Unfortunately, the prison does not provide either, but they will let you order some and have them delivered, as long as I write up that it's medically necessary. As for the swelling in your feet and ankles, again, same thing, sit as often as you can, and, if you elevate your feet above your heart, it will help with the swelling. Try to sleep on your left side. This keeps your uterus from pressing against your liver, which is on your right side. Also, sleeping on your left side improves circulation to the heart and allows for the best blood flow to the fetus, uterus, and kidneys."

"Thank you Dr. Clea… err… Leah and I will definitely need that medical necessity order for the pillows. I have a…a… um, friend who has offered to buy some for me." I said and I prayed she kept writing in my chart so she would not see me blushing, but I had no such luck.

Leah cocked a perfectly arched eyebrow at me and smiled.

"A friend, huh, would this be a female or male friend?" She asked with a knowing smile.

This only made me blush more, because what Edward didn't know was that I have already seen his picture and he is downright gorgeous. His company name was on the envelope from his very first letter he sent to me and, as soon as I had access to a computer, I looked the company up. What I saw shocked the hell out of me, not only was he an attorney, but, fuck me, he owned the damn firm. I clicked on his bio and there he was in all his glory, unruly bronze locks that I could run my fingers through all day, a smile that made me giddy inside, his no doubt designer suit fit him like he was modeling for an Armani ad, and his eyes, so green and so mesmerizing, they could make the heavens open up and sing.

I decided against telling him that I knew all about who he was and, instead, let him tell me on his own timing. I don't want him to think I am looking up information on him and make him uncomfortable; I am a prisoner after all.

"A male, his name is Edward." I said simply.

Leah had never treated me like a prisoner from day one. She always addressed me with kindness and respect; and we have sort of developed a friendship. I am the only prisoner she allows to call her by her first name, she said it was just something about me; a rare quality that she thinks is genuine and doesn't see often. In turn, I have confided in her about a few things about my past and she never once judged me.

"Edward, nice name, and, from those rosy cheeks, it appears he has you all flustered; care to share?"

"He's an attorney for the law firm that did that wish list thingy for the prisoners. We have sort of been communicating on a regular basis and he has offered to hire me an attorney to appeal my case; a good attorney, too, instead of the so called public defender I have."

"Wow, now that's a hell of a Christmas gift!" She said, nudging my side and we both laughed.

"That wasn't even what I asked for; my wish list consisted of things I needed, you know, like toiletries and writing supplies. He and his assistant went out the same day he got my first letter and bought everything on my list and then some, but I had not been here long enough at the time to receive packages, so he is waiting to send them. So, instead, he put the max allowed of $200 on my books and said he never wanted me to have to be without anything I need."

"Damn girl, what did you say to him in your letter, and does he have a brother?" She said, eyes wide, "He's what we call a keeper. Does he know about the baby?"

"He does now, I sent him an email right before I came to see you, but I don't know if he has emailed me back yet or what he thinks of me being pregnant."

"Well, it sounds like this guy, Edward, really cares about you and your well being."

"I know, but, why, why would anyone with his status, who probably has women dropping at his feet, want to waste his time on me in my situation?"

"Oh, Bella, sweetie, you just don't know your worth, do you? You are beautiful inside and out and, if he has seen a picture of you, I know why he is spending his time and money pursuing you. Listen, babe, I know you've been hurt more than any human should have to suffer through and I also know it's hard to open up and trust when all it's ever gotten you is disappointment after disappointment. But, you can't close off your heart to the world and, even if you take baby steps, if this Edward can see past your current situation and still be willing to be there for you, well, honey, that's a special man. Just give him a chance, Bella.

"I know, you're right… it's… it's just so hard." I said with tears streaming down my face.

"Oh, my precious Bella, it will be ok, darling, you'll see." She said, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Leah, I don't know what I would do without you being here."

"Hey, I've got an idea, why don't you use my computer to check your email? I'm going to run down the hall to get some coffee, okay?" She said as she typed in her password so I could log into her computer.

"Thank you so much, Leah." I said, wiping my face with a Kleenex.

I sat just looking at the screen, taking deep breaths to prepare myself for whatever Edward's reaction may have been to my news. I logged in and saw he had emailed me back and I held my breath as I opened up his email to find out what my future with him held.

**A/N: So, what did you guys think of BPOV? I think I will do the next chapter in her point of view, as well, and then we will go back to Edward. Review please, and I am working on chapter 15 now. Thanks.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 15**

**Following Your Heart**

**BPOV**

**Beta'd by princess07890**

After reading Edward's email, twice, I sat back, trying to stop the tears from falling and wrap my psyche around the fact that this man was not giving up on me. Leah came back into her office and, when she saw my tear streaked face, she mistakenly thought I had received bad news

"Oh, Bella, are you okay? I take it he did not react well to the news, but, no matter what, don't forget I am still here for you and I will help in any…."

I shook my head vigorously before finally finding my voice.

"No, Leah, no, it wasn't bad news and these aren't bad tears, I… I just… I guess I just can't believe how wonderful he really is and he is doing this just out of the goodness of his heart and nothing else."

"Well then, why are you crying Bella? You should be smiling, happy, hell, ecstatic that a man like that is chasing up behind you."

"I am, Leah, I just don't want to wake up and find that it was all a dream one day."

Leah walked over to me and pinched me, hard.

"Ouch, dammit, what was that for?"

"So you'll know you're not dreaming; every time you think you are, just look at the little bruise that I'm sure will appear on your arm by tomorrow morning and let it remind you that **this** is real, **he** is real, and you better get on board, because you could have done a lot worse than a rich ass attorney, and a good looking one at that, to fall for you! Call it whatever you want, God, fate, destiny, the fucking stars and planets lining up correctly, who the hell cares. For once, let someone take care of **you**, be concerned about **you**, this is **your** time and you **will **come out on top! "

"Do you mind if I shoot him back a quick email before I leave your office?"

"Go right ahead, I'm just going to review some charts." She said, sipping her coffee.

_December 3, 2011_

_11:09 am_

_To: Edward_

_From: Bella_

_Subject: Thank you_

_Edward,_

_First, let me say that I appreciate you more than words could ever express and I truly thank you for caring about my wellbeing so much. I am sorry if I said anything in my last email to offend you, but I just had to know this was not another dead end in my life. If the offer still stands, I would very much like to get rid of my current attorney in exchange for a real one. _

_My appointment with the doctor today went very well and the baby is just fine. I don't look at my pregnancy as a bad thing and the baby will stay with me for the first three months and then I have to either put him or her up for adoption or assign temporary custody to a state approved individual who can pass a background check, and has the financial security to properly care for him or her._

_The temporary custody order becomes null and void upon my release from prison. I am not fond of the adoption system, either, so this is a big worry for me. I am getting enough rest and I guess the food I eat is alright; I also take vitamins everyday to make sure the baby and I stay healthy. I try not to stress and, for the most part, I think I do well; at least when my doctor takes my blood pressure, it appears I'm not at risk._

_My sweet tooth has increased since I've become pregnant and I crave coconut cake with pineapples all the time, which is my favorite cake, by the way. I haven't decided about whether I want to know the gender yet, but my doctor knows. I do need more pillows to help with the backaches and swollen feet that I am starting to experience. As far as books and magazines on pregnancy, my doctor has been pretty good on giving me reading material. I started working in the administrative office four hours a day and sometimes the standing gets uncomfortable. My doctor is going to write an order of medical necessity for more pillows and for me to sit more. Unfortunately, the prison will not supply the pillows, so I have to order them and have them delivered._

_I am absolutely not a smoker, so you don't have to worry about that. An attorney, yes, it's ironic, but a very good profession. It's not as good as doctors, but it will do. Real estate, huh, that must have been interesting with the housing market crisis for the last few years. Green eyes; I can't wait to see them in person, I don't think I've ever known anyone with green eyes. Venice sounds nice and I heard it can be quite romantic; I'll have to add that to my list of places to visit._

_Victoria obviously did not know what she had, so, if she put status, clout, and money above your relationship, she was a fool and did not deserve you. As for the questions I __**forgot**__ to answer, I want to be an anesthesiologist. _

_As far as my father is concerned, I have never tried to contact him before, but I have looked up information on him. As far as what I know, he lives in Chicago and he is a neurologist for Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I don't know if he's married, or has other kids; from what I know about him, I look a lot like him; we have the same hair and eye color._

_I never wanted to deal with more rejection, so I chose not to contact him and just pretend, instead, that he never knew about me and that's why he was not around. I've always been too scared of what might happen if I contacted him. I think a phone conversation would be great; I will be able to use the phone tonight at 6:00 pm for fifteen minutes; will you be available at that time?_

_Please let me know and I will add my name to the list for tonight's phone privileges. Well, I hope I have cleared some things up and answered your questions to your satisfaction and I hope to hear your voice soon._

_Yours truly,_

_Bella _

After sending off my email to Edward, I headed back to my cell to get ready for my shift of work from noon to 4pm. Leah said she wouldcheck for emails from Edward for me, since she could access it from her office. The prison email system did not allow for passwords to be set on your account.

I certainly hope Edward will be available at 6pm, because, now, I am ready to talk to him.

**A/N: Thank you for reading and for reviewing. This was another chapter from BPOV and we are back with Edward next chapter.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 16**

**Baby Steps**

**EPOV**

"Getting married, have you lost your fucking mind, you've known this Jacob, for what thirty seconds, and now you think you know him well enough to get married?"

I could not believe what my sister was telling me; it's not that I didn't want her to be happy, but she was still like a baby to me.

"With women, it's different; we don't take as long as men do to figure out we love someone unconditionally." Rose chimed in.

"It's true, she has a point Edward." My mom said, sitting behind her desk.

"Hey, I'm a partner, why didn't I get the memo for the meeting?"

"This is not a meeting, Emmett; we are just discussing Tanya's wedding." Alice said matter of factly.

"You're getting married? Oh, wow, congratulations Tanya."

"No congratulations, and she is not getting married." I said, ready to go find Jacob and kick his ass.

"With all due respect, Edward, I am a grown woman and you cannot stop me from getting married."

"Like hell I can't"

"Alright, enough" my mother said, and the room fell quiet.

"Now, Edward, I know you are just being protective, but, the bottom line is, they are adults and this is their decision to make, not yours. Your dad and I have already given our blessing to Jacob because he is good for Tanya, not to mention he is crazy about her."

"I'd say if you guys love each other, than go for it, we need more young couples who are willing to make that commitment. Besides, it's not like she's eighteen; she's twenty five years old, Edward." Rose said while winking at Tanya. Somebody slap her, please!

"She's got a point, Edward; your sister is not a child anymore." Emmett said; somebody slap him, too, while you're at it.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Jasper said, walking into my mom's office.

"I thought you took the day off?" I said, looking at Jasper, and then, Alice, who was glaring at me and still pissed from earlier this morning when I put her out of my office.

"I did, but they cancelled mom's doctor's appointment until next week."

"How is Lilly feeling?" My mom asked Jasper.

"She is doing well, I just can't get her to sit still. Ever since she retired, she has gotten bored being at home all the time and she finds something to do every moment she is awake"

My phone beeped with a new email and, when I saw it was from Bella, I quickly excused myself and headed back to my office.

I was so nervous about what she might have said that I typed my password to get into my computer wrong twice.

As I read through her email I couldn't help the smile that was plastered on my face. She was accepting my help and willing to try to continue to communicate with me. I let out a breath of relief as I continued to read down her email and let her words wash all of my fears away. And then I saw what I was looking for, the phone call; she was willing to make the phone call.

I quickly made a phone call to Emily Uley, of Uley and Associates, one of the top criminal defense law firms in the country. After I explained the details of Bella's case, she agreed to pick it up immediately. I specifically picked her because she also dealt with domestic violence cases, so this was her specialty.

I would tell Bella when I talked to her tonight to immediately release Mike Newton as her attorney and to contact Emily right after. I typed her out a quick email to let her know I would be waiting for her call at 6pm.

_December 3, 2011_

_11:27 am_

_To: Bella_

_From: Edward_

_Subject: No, Thank You_

_Bella,_

_I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you are allowing me to help you. I have contacted a criminal defense attorney by the name of Emily Uley; she is one of the top in her area of practice, which happens to be criminal justice/ domestic violence_. _She will be expecting your call and I will tell you more about that when I talk to you tonight. I will have the pregnancy pillows shipped to you overnight, just tell me how many you need. I am really glad to hear everything went well with your appointment today and that you do at least get to keep the baby for three months after birth. So, anyone can take over custody, as long as they pass a background check and can prove they have the means to take care of the baby? Does it have to be a family member, or just a willing person? _

_I'm glad your doctor makes sure you have material to read about being pregnant. Coconut cake with pineapples, huh? I'll have to keep that in my mind. Well, there is a lot I want to say to you, but I will save it for the call. Talk to you soon._

_Yours truly,_

_Edward_

_**A/N: Hope you enjoyed chapter 16. Please leave me your thoughts and thanks for reading.**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby & 15 guests for the reviews , you guys make me feel so good! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts. **

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 17**

**Communicating**

**EPOV**

**Bet'd by princess07890**

It was 5:47pm and the minutes seemed to creep by as I very impatiently waited for 6pm to come so that I could talk to Bella. I had called AT&T, my mobile phone carrier, earlier this afternoon to make sure my package allowed for collect calls. Turns out, with a $100 deposit, it did. So, just to be safe and make sure nothing went wrong, I put a $200 deposit down. I looked at the clock again, 5:52pm; I couldn't believe only five minutes had passed. I went into the kitchen, cell phone in hand and got a bottle of water, because, suddenly, my mouth felt like I had just licked sand. I went to open my balcony doors and stood out on the balcony to get some air, because, for some reason, although it was the dead of winter, I was sweating.

I looked at my cell phone again, 5:58pm and I could hardly believe that, in the next few minutes, I would actually be talking to Bella for the first time. Just as I turned to walk back into my condo, my cell phone rang and the caller ID said unknown caller. I quickly hit the button to answer and there was a pre-recorded message in a woman's voice speaking.

_**You have a collect call from Bella Swan, at the Washington State Women's Correctional Center. If you do not know the party making the collect call please press the pound key to decline and disconnect the call. To accept the charges and connect to your party, please press 1; to request that your number be blocked from future calls from this facility, please press 2, to speak to an operator, press 0.**_

Well, that was a fucking mouthful! I quickly pressed one and waited and, after about five seconds, I heard the most angelic voice ever to grace my ears.

"_Hello" Bella said, sending my heart soaring._

"_Bella, I'm here." I said, wishing I could have her right in front of me._

"_Hi."_

"_Hi," I said, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding._

"_It's really nice to hear your voice; it lets me know that you are really real." She said and I could hear the tremble in her voice, which let me know she was just as nervous as I was._

"_Yes, I am very real, Bella, and, one day, you'll actually be able to see me in person."_

We were both silent for a couple of seconds, but not wanting to waste any of our fifteen minutes she was allotted, I spoke first.

"_So, an anesthesiologist, huh, that's a tough field. You'll hold a lot of people's lives in your hand, doesn't that make you nervous?"_

"_Not really, I guess you just have to have enough confidence in yourself to know you can do the job well. Kind of like an attorney in court; you don't go into it with a defeated mind, but there is always the possibility of things not going as planned. It's no different for a doctor."_

"_Well, when you put it like __**that**__, I guess you're right." I said, chuckling and she also let out a small laugh._

"_How's your back? Have you been sleeping okay?"_

"_The beds here aren't exactly what you would call comfortable, but my doctor's a sweetheart and she let me borrow a few extra pillows from the prison hospital until I get my own."_

"_Alice placed the order today, so, hopefully, they will get delivered tomorrow. She's having them delivered overnight express."_

Before I left the office today, I had a chance to sit down with Alice and explained to her Bella's situation of why she was incarcerated. Once I had told her everything, she was all for me helping Bella. In fact, she was upset that Bella was even doing time for defending herself.

"_Edward, I can't thank you enough, for everything. You can't imagine what all this means to me." Bella said, bringing my thoughts back to our phone conversation._

"_I am more than happy to help you and you don't have to keep thanking me; I already know you appreciate what I'm doing for you."_

"_Edward?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Why me?"_

"_Why not you, Bella?"_

"_I don't know, but what's __**so**__ special about __**me**__?"_

"_What's __**not **__special about __**you?"**_

"_Okay, is this how you're going to answer all of my questions?"_

"_What do you want me to say Bella? I don't know what you are looking for me to say or tell you?"_

"_The truth; why are you so hell bent on helping me?"_

"_I've been telling you the truth; I haven't been dishonest about anything. I just think you were treated very unjustly and you don't deserve the time you're serving for trying to protect yourself and the baby."_

Bella was quiet for a few seconds before speaking again.

"_So, what's being an attorney like?"_

"_Well, probably not as rewarding as being a doctor and saving lives, but I think that, when we are able to make things run smoothly for people in the business world, they are happy; it can be rewarding."_

"_How long have you been an attorney?"_

"_Nine, almost ten years"_

"_What made you want to become an attorney?"_

"_Am I being interviewed?"_

"_No I … I'm just trying to get to know you better."_

"_My dad is an attorney; in fact, he and a friend are the founders of the law firm where I work."_

"_Oh, so you work for your dad?"_

"_Uh, no, he's retired."_

"_So, you work for his friend?"_

"_No, his business partner passed away a few years back."_

"_I'm confused, so, who do you work for? Did he sell the business to someone else?"_

"_I work for me, for myself; I own the law firm with two other partners."_

"_Geez, it took you long enough to admit that; what, are you ashamed?"_

"_No, and how did you know I owned the law firm?"_

"_Hello, your letter came in an envelope labeled, "Cullen, Whitlock & McCarty, LLC. It's not rocket science."_

"_Yeah I guess it's not."_

_**Your call will disconnect in 5 minutes**_

The phone call seemed like any normal phone conversation, but then that recording knocked me back into the reality that Bella was incarcerated and was not free to talk as long as she, or I, wanted. I could feel myself becoming anxious at the thought that I only had a few more minutes to talk to her.

"_Bella, will you be able to email me again tonight?"_

"_Yes, I've only used two of my three allowed emails for the day."_

"_Good, because I really would like to talk to you some more."_

"_Yeah, me too."_

"_Can you call me tomorrow?"_

"_Yes, but not until 6pm."_

"_That's fine; I'll be waiting."_

"_Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I got a job filing papers in the administrative office for four hours a day and I will be working Monday through Friday from noon to 4pm."_

"_That's great, but I hope that's not too hard on you with the baby."_

_**Your call will disconnect in 1 minute**_

"_No I'm fine, just swollen feet sometimes."_

"_Please don't do too much that you don't have to. I need for you to promise me that you will take care of yourself and the baby."_

"_I promise, I will."_

"_Okay email me as soon as you can."_

"_I will, goodbye Edward."_

"_No, no goodbyes, just… until later"_

"_Yes…la…"_

"_Hello, Bella?"_

And just like that, she was gone and I felt like she took my heart with her. I longed to hear her voice for just a little while longer. I sat staring at her picture on her profile, which I had pulled up while talking to her, and I felt helpless. I was used to controlling things around me, calling all the shots, and giving out the orders, but, in this delicate situation with Bella, I had absolutely no control over anything but keeping my emotions, and my resolve in check and, for even that was slipping through my hands.

All I could do now was the one thing I never had tolerance for and that was to be patient and wait.

**A/N: What did you guys think of their phone call? Please leave me your thoughts in a review, thanks.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 18**

**Impatiently Waiting**

**EPOV**

**Bet'd by princess07890**

I heated up some leftovers and plugged my laptop up in the kitchen so I could watch the screen for a new email while I ate. The longer it took, the more impatient I grew, because never have I been forced to wait on anything that I wanted this bad. Talking to Bella was amazing and I never wanted that phone call to end.

After eating, I took my laptop and moved into my bedroom and, by 7:30 I was ready to pull my hair out. My cell phone rang and the caller ID popped up with my parents' home number.

"_Hello?"_

"_Hey, son, how are you?" My dad asked._

"_I'm good, dad, how about you?"_

"_No complaints; listen, I have a friend who is trying to buy a rather large piece of commercial property and he is looking for an immediate cash sale. I'm going to give him your office number and tell him to give you a call, okay?"_

"_Sure, dad, no problem; have him fax the address of the property and his offer to Alice and I will have her make sure the title is clean before we proceed."_

A new email popped into my inbox and my heart started racing again.

"_That sounds good ,son; thanks for helping and I'll see you this weekend at the charity banquet dinner, right?"_

"_Right, I'll be there; gotta go, dad, I have an email I have to respond to." W_ith that, I quickly ended the call and went to open up my email, but it was just a reminder email of a meeting I have tomorrow.

I sat back in my computer chair, rubbed my hand down my face, and let out a sigh. I laid my head back and stared at my ceiling, growing more and more anxious with every passing moment.

And then finally, at 8:05, another email popped up and this one **was** from Bella.

_December 3, 2011_

_7:50 pm_

_From: Bella_

_To: Edward_

_Subject: Wish we had more time!_

_Edward,_

_Hearing your voice today was refreshing and I am glad we had the chance to talk over the phone. Sorry it took so long to email you again, but I had to wait for a kiosk to become available for use. I wanted to tell you that your belief in my innocence regarding my case means a lot to me and gives me the strength I need to keep fighting. I have a confession to make, because I believe in always being honest, so, here goes._

_After I received your first letter, I looked up your company to make sure it was legit and you weren't some crazy person writing me .It was then that I saw your picture. I also read your biography, which was pretty impressive, with you being a graduate of Harvard Law and all, but, I promise that I only looked up your information for my own safety. I hope you are not upset by this, but I wanted to be honest with you. Thanks for having pillows sent to me; that was so sweet of you; Please thank Alice for me. I hated to have to end our call so soon, but that is one of the many difficult things I will have to deal with until I can get out of here. You are amazing and I am getting a little spoiled with the things you are doing for me. It's really hard for me to believe you are single, because you are a very attractive man and your eyes are beautiful, but I'm sure you hear that all the time. _

_I wrote up the request to fire Mike Newton as my attorney effective immediately. Also, Emily Uley called the administrative office and made an appointment to come see me tomorrow, so, thank you for that as well. I know you asked me to stop thanking you, but, I can't, because you are like my own personal angel right now. I know I kind of pushed you away at first and I hope you understand why, but I am thinking I would like for us to try to be friends; that is, if you still want to be. I like talking to you and I look forward to hearing from you every day now. Is that a bad thing? Because I feel like I may be becoming too attached too soon? _

_Well, I am going to turn in for the night, my back is a little sore and I need to lie down and get some rest. My doctor here is looking into some courses I can take online to start finishing my undergrad, so I will keep you posted on that. Have a goodnight and I wish you nothing but sweet dreams._

_Yours truly,_

_Bella _

After reading Bella's email, I took a shower and, as I stood under the hot water, I took the liberty of relieving myself of the sexual tension that had been building up for a couple of months now. As I closed my eyes and thought about the most beautiful, brown, mesmerizing eyes I have ever seen and those full lips that I would love to feel on me, I found my release, calling out the only name that stayed stuck in my head constantly, _**Bella**_.

**A/N: I wanted to give you guys one more chapter! Enjoy and please review, thanks!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 19**

**Getting to Know Each Other**

**EPOV**

"So, what do I need to do to get her to go out with me?" Emmett asked Alice as we sat drinking beers after work at a lounge in downtown Seattle.

"Maybe open up your mouth and actually ask her, instead of waiting for her to make the first move. Rose is different than the women you are use to dating, and if you're waiting on her, don't hold your breath; she's definitely not a chaser." Alice said while sipping her martini.

"My baby is right, women like Alice and Rose are not impressed with status and money, but rather quality and depth. You have to show her you're not just a good looking guy in a suit who thinks he's God's gift to women because he's a partner at a law firm, a very successful law firm, may I add. Not to mention, she's one of our associate attorneys; she's damn good in her area of practice and she does not want her image to be tarnished by 'dating the boss' so to speak. Give her time, she's still trying to prove herself and she's making a good impression pretty quickly with all the new contracts she has brought in."

"Yeah, I guess you guys are right; I never thought of it that way, but no one would have to know we were dating."

"**She** would know and she needs to make a name for herself and wants to know that any rewards or promotions she gets were due to her work at the firm and **not **becauseof her work on you." I said, taking a sip from my Corona with lime.

"Ha ha, you're a funny guy, Cullen." Emmett said, sarcastically

"Always here to help, Emmett," I said, smirking and taking another sip of my beer.

I was really enjoying hanging out with my friends, relaxing away from the office and focusing on other things outside of deadlines, contracts, and closings. This week had been pretty busy for the all of us and I didn't have much time to do anything outside of work, in fact, I had stayed late, until after 9pm, twice this week due to a major multi-million dollar merger that took place this morning. My firm did the contracts and closings for both companies. On those nights, I only took a break for the fifteen minutes I would talk to Bella and then, I got right back to work.

I did get to talk to Bella three more times this week at 6pm as promised and she seems to have really opened up to me. I could tell she was becoming more and more comfortable with the friendship. I even found out she has a hell of a sense of humor and is very witty with her sarcasm. She is an animal lover, but she is highly allergic to cats. She is lactose intolerant, but loves a bowl of cereal as a snack before bed. Reading is her favorite pastime and her idea of a perfect night is curling up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and watching a good movie.

She's afraid of butterflies, but thinks they are beautiful from a distance; she is afraid of heights, but wants to ride in an airplane, which, by the way, is something she has never done. She couldn't believe it when I told her I owned a jet. Her worst fear is being alone and she is a hopeless romantic, despite all the pain and disappointment she has been through.

There was a fight between two of the inmates in the prison the night before, one of whom was stabbed, so, unfortunately, her ward is on lockdown and they are not allowed to use the phones or computers today. Her doctor sent me an email earlier at Bella's request. So, here I am, sitting with my friends, trying to get rid of some of the anxiety I am feeling about Bella being so close to danger every day, but it wasn't working. My mind was constantly on her and, before today, I had never thought about the possibility of Bella getting hurt and it's driving me nuts.

After receiving the email from Bella's doctor, I immediately called Emily Uley to see how she thought things look as far as an appeal for Bella's case; she assured me that Bella's sentencing had a good chance of getting overturned. She was currently trying to talk to the neighbors around her old neighborhood where she, and the fucker that was the cause of all this mess, used to live to see if she could get witnesses of the abuse Bella suffered to submit signed affidavits on her behalf. She said she would have more information for me in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I was forced to, once again, do the one thing I hate the most, be patient and wait.

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for the reviews that you guys have left, I feel the love! I am working on chapter 20 and I think it will be in BPOV, see you soon.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156 & 21 guests for the reviews , you guys make me feel so good! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts, thank you. Enjoy chapter 20. **

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 20**

**Opening the Heart**

**BPOV**

**Bet'd by princess07890**

As I sat filing papers away in the administrative office, I fought back tears, knowing that I would not be able to talk to Edward today, because of a fighting incident that ended with one inmate in the hospital. Just knowing that I could call and talk to him and communicate with him by email three times a day, made life in here a little more bearable.

The time seemed to drag by as I waited for 4pm to come so I could get off work. I would be seeing Leah after work, due to a migraine headache that I've had since yesterday, which is another reason I couldn't wait for this day to be over.

Since all my filing was done and there was really nothing else for me to do, Mrs. Cope, the secretary that I did filing for, let me go early at 3pm and I was escorted back to my cell by a prison guard. I would wait there until 4pm and then someone would escort me over to Leah's office. I received four huge pregnancy pillows earlier this week that felt like pure heaven when I laid on them. I used two in my bed and the other two were stored with my personal belongings, since I was not allowed to have extra items in my cell. Edward had given me Alice's email address so that I could thank her personally for going out of her way to go out and get the pillows for me; these were not cheap pillows. With them, she also sent me a book of baby names to look through. I had yet to decide on a name for a girl or boy. I guess that I still couldn't believe that, in less than four months, I would be someone's mother and I vowed to be everything my mother was not, to my son or daughter.

As I lay across my bed waiting to go see Leah, I thought about Edward and what he might be doing right now. Was he in a meeting? Or, was he working on his computer, seeing a client, or just sitting back daydreaming like me? At some point, I must have dozed off because the sound of the electronic locking system that unlocked and slid my cell door open startled me awake.

"Time to go, Bella," The guard that was escorting me said.

When there is a lockdown, prisoners are restricted from all common areas like the break, the TV room, the media room, which has the kiosk that we use to send emails, the library, the game room, and the gymnasium. No one is free to roam and, unlike under normal circumstances, you must be escorted to all appointments, whether it was with one of the staff doctors, one of the psychiatrist, or someone in administration. I arrived at Leah's office about five minutes after 4pm.

"Bella, you're right on time. How are you feeling today?" Leah asked, getting up from her computer and directing me to have a seat on the examination table.

"Leah, I have had a splitting headache since yesterday and I can't take it anymore; can't you give me anything?"

"Hmm, your eyes are red, as well; did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not really, I was too wound up after everything that happened last night."

"Let me check your blood pressure, first, and then, I will do an ultrasound just to make sure everything is alright with the baby."

"Also, I need a huge favor if you can." I said, hoping she could help me out.

"Sure, what did you need?"

"I am supposed to call Edward at 6pm, but, as you know, we are on lockdown and I know he is probably wondering why I have not emailed him today. Can you please send him an email to let him know what happened and tell him I will contact him on Monday, when the lockdown has been lifted?"

"No problem, Bella, just write down his email address and I will send it from my iPhone through my personal email account so that no one will see it." She said giving me a reassuring smile as she took my blood pressure, and then, all of a sudden, her smile turned into a frown as her eyebrows furrowed.

"Is everything okay?" I asked nervously.

"No" she said, taking her stethoscope out of hers ears and swinging it around the back of her neck before removing the blood pressure sleeve from my right arm.

"Let me see your other arm." She said before placing the sleeve on my left arm and retaking my blood pressure.

"Hmm, this is not good; your blood pressure is a little high. Are you feeling any discomfort anywhere else?" She said, using her fingertips to check my glands and then slid the end of the exam table out before telling me to lie down.

"No more discomfort than usual in my back, feet, and ankles." I said as I lay back on the exam table.

She then left the room and came back in rolling an ultrasound machine and, after hooking everything up, a nurse came into the room with her.

"Bella, this is Jessica, she is one of the staff nurses and she is assisting me today."

"Hello, Bella, it's nice to meet you." She said, smiling at me.

"Hi, same here." I said, trying to hide my anxiety.

"Okay, Bella, I'm just going to have a look here and I am going to turn on the sound, so we can listen to your baby's heartbeat." Leah said, lifting my shirt and pouring the gel across my stomach. I was grateful that she kept it warm.

After about ten minutes of moving the wand over and around, up and down my protruding belly, Leah handed me some tissue to clean my stomach and printed out four pictures of the baby for me to keep.

"Bella, the baby's heart-rate is right at 200 beats per minute, which is high, and that, coupled with your blood pressure being up is enough for me to admit you for the weekend for observation. The elevated heart rate in the baby indicates there could be some kind of fetal distress and I don't want to take any chances. So, I am writing up an order for you to be admitted immediately and I will come in tomorrow and check on you." She said while writing in my chart.

"But you don't work on weekends."

"I know, but I will make a special trip for you sweetie. Jessica, can you go check on a bed for Bella, please?"

After Jessica walked out, Leah turned back to me and winked.

"Now you get to sleep in a nice comfortable bed and watch TV for the weekend. I'll send Edward that email while we wait for your room to get ready. Anything in particular you want me to say?"

"Let him know what happened, that I am fine, and why I can't email or text, but **don't** mention anything about me and the baby staying in the hospital. I'll tell him that later."

Leah looked at me with a raised brow and a smile playing on her lips.

"May I ask why you want me to exclude that little bit of important information?"

"Trust me, Leah; it's best if I wait to tell him once I'm out of the hospital. If I don't, he'll just spend the entire weekend worrying."

"If you say so; it sounds like you guys are really getting to know each other." Leah said with a chuckle.

After being admitted to the hospital, Leah put in an order for two regular strength Tylenols for my headache. She was absolutely right, the beds in the hospital were very comfortable and I fell asleep watching one of my favorite movies, "You've Got Mail" and dreamt about a heavenly body with soft looking lips and captivating green eyes. This man has my hormones raging so out of control that he is going to make me go into labor early, and I've never even met him.

**A/N: Here is another chapter, please read and review. I am getting a lot of people signing my story up to follow or as a favorite and I truly appreciate the alerts, but please take the time to leave a review for me, thank you very much!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 21**

**Being Open and Honest**

**EPOV**

There had been no more incidents at the prison after the stabbing a couple of weeks ago and Bella I had resumed communicating everyday about any and everything. We would talk every evening at 6pm sharp and we faithfully email each other once in the morning, again in the afternoon and always once more before bed. Christmas was in two days and I was surprising Bella with a visit. As her attorney, Emily Uley was able to add me to her visitor list without telling Bella so she had no idea I was coming.

I emailed Dr. Leah Clearwater and advised her of the gift I wanted to give to Bella and she advised me of what I needed to do in order to stay in compliance with the prison rules. It wasn't much, but it was coming from a place deep inside me. I can't explain what it was I feeling towards Bella, but I knew it went far beyond friendship. Seven weeks ago I knew nothing about her and now I can't imagine life without her. We had been discussing possible baby names while talking on the phone yesterday and I smiled as I remembered her laughter:

_**Flashback:**_

"_How about Kramer if it's a boy?" _

I said looking through the same baby names book she was looking through that I had Alice get me a copy of.

"_Kramer! Ewww, Edward that's pretty bad"_ she said laughing hard.

"_Okay, wait what about Luke or Lucas"_

"_No, those don't do it for me either." _

"_Okay then Bella let's hear your girl names." _ I said challenging her to do better.

Bella and I had come to sort of an agreement , she would pick out a girl name and I would pick out a boy name, of course she had final say so, but she was at least letting me give her ideas.

"_Okay I have Allison or Bethany."_

"_No, those sound too old."_

"_Oh and Kramer didn't!" _ We both laughed hard before silence fell over us and I cleared my throat.

_**Your call will disconnect in 5 minute**_

And just like that we were both slapped in the face by reality again.

"_What about Isabella… you know female juniors are becoming more popular" _I said breaking the silence.

"_Yeah, I like juniors…so what about….um…Edward?"_

I froze and my heart raced inside my chest and all types of emotions ran through me and my mind was a pool of scattered thoughts, but the emotion that confused me the most was the **joy** I felt at hearing her say that was even a possibility.

"_Bella… I…would you really want that?"_

"_Well… you know…I kind of really like your name…a lot, but I understand if you don't…"_

"_No, no don't even think that, it doesn't bother me at all, I guess I am just surprised, but I'm happy too."_

Bella's next words sent my heart soaring and I felt like every prayer of mine was being answered.

"_Edward… I want to see you."_

"_You do? Okay we can arrange that…. I want to see you too, Bella."_

_**Your call will disconnect in 1 minute**_

"_I'll email you as soon as I can get an available kiosk okay?_

Bella spoke, voice shaking and trembling and I could picture the tears in her eyes and I shut mine tight and took a deep breath, because just the thought of something making her cry caused my heart to ache.

"_Shhh, don't cry Bella, everything will work itself out, please just stay strong for me, okay?"_

"_Okay, I will talk to you soon"_

"_I'll be waiting for you"_

And then once again she was gone and each time our calls had to end it hurt just as much as the first time. Two days, I told myself, I'll be able to look into her eyes in just two days, but until then once again I have to… wait.

**A/N: Just a short chapter to get them ready for their first time meeting. So what did you guys think about the name suggestions, will there be an Edward, Jr. keep reading to find out, oh and please leave a review they make me happy!**

**Someone asked in a review how do I know so much about prisons and the answer is I am an ex-cop guys! Enjoy chapter 21.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19 & 27 guests for the reviews , you guys make me feel so good! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts, thank you. Enjoy chapter 22!**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 22**

**The Visit**

**EPOV**

I woke up Christmas morning with a smile on my face and my heart signing with joy. The snow outside seemed a little whiter, the sun shined just a little brighter and the birds seemed to sing a little sweeter this morning. I quickly showered and got dressed in a pair of blue Levi jeans, an Alexander McQueen grey mock turtle neck sweater, that my mother gave to me on my birthday earlier this year and a pair of grey Ferragamo Metro suede show boots. I had gotten my hair trim the day before to try and bring some order to my otherwise unruly hair, but after thirty five minutes of trying to style it this morning , I decided to leave it be.

Our family tradition as far back as I could remember has always been my mom's special pancakes on Christmas morning, and this Christmas was no different. After bagging up all the gifts I had bought, I headed over to my parent's house for our annual 10am holiday breakfast, where Alice, Jasper and Jasper's mother Lilly would be joining us. Rose had flown home to New York to spend Christmas with her Family and Emmett had left last night going to Forks to visit his family and would join us later. We had all made plans to bring in the New Year together. My Aunt and Uncle Carmen and Eleazor along with my two cousin's Irene and Kate would also be joining us along with my father's brother Masen and his wife Elizabeth.

I would eat breakfast with my family and open gifts, but I would not be there for dinner. I would be in Gig Harbor, Washington, visiting with Bella from 3pm- 6pm where the prison was allowing family and friends to come and share a one hour dinner along with an additional two hour visit just for Christmas day. You were allowed to give the prisoners a gift as long as it was shipped to the prison in advance so that the gift as well as the packaging holding the gift was able to go through inspections. It would then be labeled with your name for pick-up at the reception area. We were also allowed to bring a card to give to your friend or loved one as long as the envelope was not sealed and could be inspected upon entering through security.

"Hey son, Merry Christmas to you." My dad said pulling me into a hug and patting my back before closing the door. The scent of freshly made pancakes assaulted my nose and my mouth began to water as I hung up my coat on the coat hooks and headed to the kitchen."

"Edward, Merry Christmas baby." My mom said grabbing my face between both her hands and peppering my face with kisses like she's done every Christmas morning since I was a small child.

"Merry Christmas mom, how are you this morning?

"I could not be better, your sister should be down soon she's beautifying herself for Jacob." Mom said heading back over to the stove.

"He's coming too? Doesn't he have a family?" I said, still not too crazy about the idea of my baby sister marrying this guy so soon.

"Yes he does have a family and him and Tanya had dinner with them last night and exchanged gifts, so he is spending today with us."

"Oh joy!" I said forcing a smile.

"Don't be so hard on Jacob, he a good kid with a very promising future and he treats your sister like the princess she is." My dad said while taking a seat next to me at the kitchen table.

The doorbell rang and I heard my sister opened the door and then I heard my best friend with his southern drawl greeting her, along with his mother and Alice.

"Merry Christmas everyone" Jasper's mom was the first to make it into the kitchen hugging my mom first, followed by my dad and then finally me. After another half hour, the rest of my family and Jacob had arrived and we were now in my parent's formal dining room which held a table that could seat sixteen people. My mom had made her one of a kind pancakes and the special part was the homemade fruit toppings she would make to go on them which were cooked apples with cinnamon, strawberry syrup with fresh strawberries, blueberry syrup with fresh blueberries and regular maple syrup for those who did not like fruit toppings. We also had bacon, eggs, hash browns, coffee, orange juice and apple juice. Her and my dad would usually start preparing everything at about 7am on Christmas morning, it was their special thing they did together every year.

The food was delicious and the mood was jovial all around. There was laughter all across the room and many entertaining stories told, but yet in the company of the people I loved and cherished the most in this world, I longed to be with Bella and my mind was constantly on her.

After breakfast we moved into the living room where my mother served warm apple cider and we broke off into two teams for three very competitive rounds of Family Feud on the WII using my parent's sixty inch television with the ladies successfully kicking our butts. We exchanged gifts and at 1:30pm I said my goodbyes to my family and friends and hit the road on my way to Gig Harbor.

The drive there had me both excited and anxious, and I had so many thoughts and emotions running through me at once, the main one being nervousness. I was Nervous about how she would feel about me visiting her without asking or telling her first. Dr. Clearwater seemed to think it was an excellent idea and that I should by all means come.

Bella had sent me a short email this morning wishing me a Merry Christmas and telling me about her morning. In turn, I shot her back a very brief email telling her I was heading out to my parent's for breakfast and I would talk to her soon, what she didn't know is that it would be in person.

After going through the outside security gates I arrived at the visitor's parking lot and headed to the entrance of the prison, where I took nothing but my car keys and a photo ID, not even cell phones were allowed. We were instructed to be there at least thirty minutes before the scheduled visitation time to allow for the security check point procedure. I looked at my watch as I entered the building and it was 2:20pm. As Dr. Clearwater had warned me of, the security check point was rigorous, to say the least and I think I felt sort of violated once I was through. I then stopped at the reception area to pick up the gifts that I had delivered for her before being led into a very large well lit room with at least one hundred round tables that each sat up to six people. The tables were covered in either red or green paper table clothes with a small white flameless candle in the middle of each table and a small card holder holding a number.

There was a female and male officer sitting at a table with two name list where you had to check in. as I stood in line to wait my turn, I could hardly believe I was here and would finally get to meet the woman that haunted my thoughts and dreams for weeks now.

"What's your inmate's name." the female officer asked me.

"Bella…err… Isabella Swan"

"Okay you guys are at table thirty three" she said handing me a small white card with me and Bella's names on it along with our table number.

"Thank you" I said smiling politely before making my way to our table.

As I sat down I looked around at all the family and friends that had gathered to spend a few hours with their friend or loved one and then I thought about those who had no one to come see them, and I felt a pain in my heart as I thought about how easily Bella could have been one of those people.

Suddenly a set of two doors opened and the inmates started pouring in. I sat rubbing my hands together with my gifts on top of the table and when she walked through the door I spotted her immediately and I stood up and waited for her to find our table. I watched her as she scanned the room, slowly walking and glancing at each of the table numbers and then she looked up directly into my eyes and my heart almost stopped. She was even more beautiful in person, even dressed in her navy blue Department of Correction's issued uniform which was a contrast against her pale smooth skin. Her steps became quicker and without any warning she slammed her body against mine and wrapped her arms so tightly around me and I held her equally as tight, pulling back my midsection just a bit as to not press to hard against her stomach as she rested her head on my chest. I don't know how long we stood there holding each other, but I was grateful to look around and see other family and friends hugging, so I guess this was allowed, at least for today it was. Sensing that she was not yet ready to let go, and to be honest neither was I, I placed a soft kiss on the top of her head and continued to hold her.

After a few more moments, we released each other and sat down and I used my thumbs to wipe away the one tear that had escaped her eyes.

"Hey you, I hope these are happy tears." I said offering a small smile, but she was too emotional to speak so she just nodded her head and then finally she spoke.

"When…when I didn't hear back from you earlier, I began to worry, because you always respond right back to my emails." She said finally looking up at me and her eyes held so many emotions I was desperate to know what she was thinking.

"Surprise and Merry Christmas Bella."

"Merry Christmas Edward." She said smiling while biting her bottom lip and I internally groaned, because that action was innocent, sexy and erotic all in one.

I handed her the dozen of roses in assorted colors wrapped up in floral paper and when she opened them I told her what each color meant.

"The tow white ones represents your innocence, the two yellow ones represent our growing friendship, the two peach ones represents my sincerity and dedication to you, the two dark pink ones represents my gratitude to you for trusting me enough to let me in , the two orange represents my desire and enthusiasm towards you and the two yellow with red tips… well those represent me hopelessly falling for you. I then handed her the card that I had bought her which she took with trembling hands and I watched in awe as she slowly opened it with tears in her eyes and began to read.

**A/N: Since the last chapter was short I thought I would give you a slightly longer than usual one. Please read and review I am so loving hearing all the comments and theories some are close and some are far off, but all good! Thank you and enjoy!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 23**

**The Visit-part 2**

**BPOV**

I sat with my stomach in knots and I tried to figure out why I hadn't heard back from Edward. I had emailed him over two hours ago and he had never taken this long to respond, especially on his off days and with his emails going straight to his cell phone, it did not make sense that I had not heard from him. In fact if I was being completely honest with myself, his tone in his email earlier this morning was short and to the point unlike our previous emails to each other as if he was preoccupied or something. Something was off and I was getting sick to my stomach at the thought that just maybe Edward had come to his senses and decided not to waste his time with me anymore. I lay down across my bed, tears streaming down my face, because why did I believe for a moment that someone like Edward who has everything could possibly be interested in someone like me who has nothing to offer, but a lot of baggage.

"Isabella Swan" I quickly sat up as I heard the guard call my name.

"You have an approved scheduled visitor coming today at 3pm; you and your guest will be seated at table number thirty three in the main hall. You are free to go to any of the other common areas whenever you want, but we ask that all inmates who will be having visitors or are attending the Christmas dinner today line up no later than 2:50pm to enter the main hall." She said looking down at her clip board and then walked away to go to the next cell of the inmate who also had a scheduled visit.

The only approved person on my list was my new attorney Emily Uley, but why would she visit on Christmas day. I guess for some attorney's their work is never done. Hopefully she would be bringing me some good news, because I don't think I can take anything bad right now.

I looked at the clock on my desk that Dr. Clearwater had given me and saw that it was 2:30pm. I wanted to go and send Edward another email, but we always saved our last email for before bed and I only had one left. I hope and prayed we were still on for our 6pm phone call, but at this moment I wasn't feeling very sure about anything to do with Edward.

After brushing my hair and making sure I was presentable, I headed to the main hall. As I stood in line I smiled as I felt my baby kicking softly, an action that had started in the last few days and it took me a day or so to realize what it actually was I was feeling. At about five minutes to three they opened the doors to the main hall and started letting us in. The decorated room took me by surprise, with the green and red table clothes and flameless candles flickering on the tables. I looked around anxiously trying to spot my attorney and then I remembered my table number. I started walking and when I spotted the number thirty three, I looked up and was so caught off guard by what or rather who I saw I thought I was imagining things.

But as I began to walk closer, not believing he was really here, my feet took on a mind of its own and launched me forward into his arms and I held on for dear life. I felt the tears running down my face and I cried for all the times I wanted him here, all the times I needed to see his face and all the times I longed to be in his arms. I felt him kiss the top of my head and I squeezed him tighter, just trying to get my mind to believe he was really here.

Eventually we released each other and sat down and he reached out and wiped the tears off my face.

"Hey you, I hope these are happy tears." He said and trying to not start crying again I just nodded my head because I couldn't find my voice.

"When…when I didn't hear back from you earlier, I began to worry, because you always respond right back to my emails." I said finally looking up at him and the lopsided grin he sported sent my hormones into overdrive.

"Surprise and Merry Christmas Bella."

"Merry Christmas Edward." I said smiling and I bit my lip praying he could not see the blush I felt creeping up my neck.

He looked away to the table and then handed me flowers, that I had not noticed before now and as I unwrapped the floral paper I stared at the most beautiful dozen of roses in assorted colors I had ever seen and then Edward began to tell me what each color represented.

"The two white ones represents your innocence, the two yellow ones represent our growing friendship, the two peach ones represents my sincerity and dedication to you, the two dark pink ones represents my gratitude to you for trusting me enough to let me in, the two orange represents my desire and enthusiasm towards you and the two yellow with red tips… well those represent me hopelessly falling for you.

He then handed me a card and with trembling hands and with tears in my eyes, I opened it and began to read.

_**What is the meaning of a true friend? **_

Is what the outside of the card read and then I flipped it open to the inside and continued to read.

_**A true friend is someone you can trust with your deepest darkest secrets, the one who listens with an open mind and a loving heart. They understand you are not perfect, and never judge you by your shortcomings. A friend will cry with you, laugh with you, pray with you and stay with you when everyone else walks away. Knowing you are my friend has made my world a brighter place and I hope you know that I will always be here in your time of need to listen to your cries, to kiss away your hurt, to praise your efforts and to celebrate your victories. I am so very proud to be able to call you my friend.**_

_Love Always,_

_Edward _

I slowly looked up at Edward and he stared back at me with an unsure look on his face and I imagine he was waiting for my reaction. He had signed the card "Love Always" and I couldn't help but wonder, is that how he really felt? When he said he was "falling" for me, was he trying to tell me that he loved me?

"Love always, huh?" I said staring in to his beautiful green eyes.

"Only if you want it, I would never ask for more than you are willing or want to give, Bella."

"I care about you Edward, you know I do, but I don't know…"

"Shhh, Bella I'm not asking you to say it back, not unless that's what you really feel." He said placing a finger to my mouth.

"I'll wait… as long as I have to, because… well you're worth it."

And with that he grabbed my hand and the feeling that ran through me was like nothing I have ever felt in my life. It was warm, soothing, calming and loving all in one.

Did I love Edward, I certainly knew I could, but he deserved so much more than me saying the words just because he had. But for right now there is no other person I would rather have here with me then him.

**A/N:** **Hey guys thanks for all the reviews, we crossed over 200! Yay! I appreciate all that are following and supporting my story! Please leave me your thoughts, see you next chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 24**

**The Visit-part 3**

**EPOV**

We sat there for a good while just holding hands and each other's gaze and there was so many unspoken emotions being said in our silence. It was Bella who started talking first.

"What's this?" She asked eyeing the white paper bag that read _"Tall Grass Bakery"_.

"This will be our dessert after dinner." I said sliding the bag closer to her and nodding my head for her to open it.

She stared at the bag with her brows furrowed and then she finally started opening it slowly, as if she thought something might jump out of it. She looked inside at the clear plastic container on top holding a big slice of chocolate cake and she frowned a little before looking up at me.

"This is very sweet of you Edward, but I'm sorry I don't like chocolate cake." she said looking at me apologetically.

"I know." I said reaching into the bag and removing the container of chocolate cake sitting it on the table and then when she looked back in the bag, she smiled up at me and there were those tears again forming in her eyes.

"You remembered." She said pulling out the huge piece of coconut cake in another plastic container.

"It has pineapples in it too." I said smiling at her.

"Edward, I don't know what to say, this is all so much, too much."

"Of course it's not too much. What, you don't think you are worth flowers, a card and a slice of your favorite cake?"

"No it's not that, it's just…I don't know… I just never had anyone do…"

"Well I am not those people, so you're just going to have to get use to things being very different for you from now on." I said leaning forward and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead, trying to relieve her of her insecurities and as I pulled back I felt like the teenager who finally got to kiss the girl he's been crushing on forever. I can't really fully explain it, but I knew in all my thirty three years on this earth I had never felt anything like it before.

There was no more denying to myself that over the past several weeks, I had fallen completely in love with Bella, but no matter how bad I wanted it, I would let her move at her own pace and in her own time and if friendship was all she could offer me, than I would be the best one she's ever had.

Suddenly a woman's voice came through the speakers and I looked to the front of the room to see a very well dressed middle aged woman talking on a microphone.

_Good afternoon family and friends and welcome to the Washington State Women's Correctional Centers Christmas dinner. My name is Jane Volturi, I am the warden here at the facility and I wanted to personally thank you for coming out to support your friend or loved one. Dinner will be served in about thirty minutes, but the servers are going to start serving beverages and bring out your soup and salads. The main course tonight will be baked chicken, sautéed vegetables and garlic mash potatoes, followed by vanilla ice cream and apple pie for dessert. The dinner being served tonight is courtesy of Cullen, Whitlock and McCarty Law Firm located in Seattle and tonight joining us for dinner is the Sr. Partner Edward Cullen, would you please stand." _She said pointing me out, which I was hoping she did not do, but I stood up and gave a quick wave with a polite smile, as the room erupted into a loud applause.

I looked at Bella who was now looking at me wide eyed and in total disbelief as I took my seat. Then I noticed that beautiful blush that was covering her beautiful soft skin.

"You did this?" she said looking at me in total shock.

"It was the only way I could take you to dinner and make sure you had a quality meal" I said praying she would not be too upset.

"You are amazing, you know that?" she said throwing her arms around me and I very carefully hugged her back not wanting to do anything that would get either of us in trouble.

"No, you are the amazing one." I said chuckling at her enthusiasm.

The conversation between us seemed to flow more naturally and I think as the afternoon went on, we both had become very comfortable with each other's company. I learned that she was a pretty good tennis player in high school, but had to stop playing because her grandmother could not afford the lessons. We talked more about her marriage and it was hard to listen to her describe some of the abuse she suffered. I also learned that her ex-husband had a cousin on the Seattle police department that worked in the area they lived in. maybe this was why he was never arrested and charged with domestic violence and I would have to be sure to tell her attorney to check that out.

Dinner was served promptly at 4pm and if I might say so myself, was quite delicious and I was glad I had the food catered in. they played light jazz during dinner and from the looks of it, this Christmas party had been just the thing a lot of the inmates needed. If only for one day, they could forget that they were no longer a part of society and enjoy themselves in a relaxing environment with the people they cared about the most.

Dessert was served at 4:45pm and of course Bella and I declined the apple pie, enjoying our slices of cake instead and at 5pm the photographer that I had hired went around to each table to offer to take a picture of the inmates and their visitors free of charge to them. Each inmate that requested a picture taken would get 2 free 5x7 courtesy of my firm.

When I looked at my watch and saw that it was 5:30pm, I could feel the knot that formed in my stomach and knowing I would have to leave Bella soon hurt like hell. I could also see the agony on her face and we spent the majority of our last half hour together just holding hands and trying not to think about what was to come.

"Thank you, for everything, you made this the best Christmas that I have ever had."

"Well if you think this is was good, wait until you're out of here."

"You really believe there's a chance for my sentencing to get overturned, don't you?" she asked sounding like she was not convinced

"Yes, I absolutely do and I won't rest until you and little one are out of here." I said looking at her small belly bump.

"For the first time about a week ago _**she**_ kicked." She said smiling

"Did _**he**_?" I said smiling back and we both laughed. "It sounds like you want a girl, Bella."

"And it sounds like you think it's a boy, Edward."

"Healthy is what I want girl or boy, I want you guys to be healthy" I said looking her in the eyes and we held each other's gaze. I cleared my throat before speaking again.

"May I?" I said pointing to her belly and she nodded with a small smile playing on her lips.

I placed both hands on either side of her belly and looked up into her eyes.

"You're beautiful, you know that?" she looked away trying to hide her face and the blush was back, but I raised one of my hands up turning her chin forcing her to look back at me, while leaving the other on her belly. Bella placed one of her hands over mine on her belly and held it there and then she looked at me with sad, pleading eyes.

"Just tell me what you want Bella, I'm not going anywhere, not unless you want me to."

She shook her head as the tears began to fall and I knew she was worried what would happen to little one after the three months she was allowed with he or she had passed.

"I don't want my baby to end up just anywhere, Edward. If something were to happen to him or her, I could never live with myself."

"Hey, stop crying this will all work out, I promise. You just worry about staying healthy and getting plenty of rest and let me worry about the rest, okay? She nodded her head and I handed her a napkin to wipe her face.

The warden then thanked us all for coming, announced that visitation would be over in ten minutes and to please say our final goodbyes before the guards would come to escort all visitors out of the facility.

When it was time to go both Bella and I stood and I gave her a tight hug while rubbing her belly with one hand and holding her close to me with the other.

"So what time should I email you tonight?" she asked with a trembling voice, looking up at me.

"I should make it back to Seattle in about an hour, so our regular 8pm time should be good, okay?" I said kissing her forehead, her nose and then her lips and she squeezed me tighter.

The warden then announced that they needed all visitors to remain seated until all inmates were out of the hall and with one last squeeze and kiss to her lips, I released her and watched her disappear through the double doors, taking my heart with her.

**A/N: Sorry for the late update, very busy day so I tried to make this one a little longer. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter and those following my story by signing up for alerts. I will try to post at least two chapters tomorrow.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, & 31 guests for the reviews , you guys make me feel so good! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts, thank you. Enjoy chapter 25!**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 25**

**Confiding **

**EPOV**

"Hey, you got a minute." I asked walking into my best friend Jasper's office taking a seat in a leather chair in front of his desk.

"Yeah what's up buddy, are you ready for tonight? Alice took the day off because she has to make sure everything is perfect." He said shaking his head and smiling about his wife and her OCD behavior sometimes.

"Yep and I was thinking maybe we should close the office early, but still pay the hourly employees for the full day."

"Since when do you offer to pay an employee for not working, that's a new one? What are you ill, do I need to call Esme?" he said chuckling.

But somehow, I just could not find the humor in his statement. Had I really been that oblivious to people not as fortunate as we are? Was I really that big of an ass before…Bella?

"Since I started opening my eyes to just how little some people have. Everyone doesn't get the silver spoon life that we had Jasper."

"Oh trust me I know, I'm just very surprised you are now acknowledging that. Remember you **were** the one that said **everyone** has a chance at success and it's **their** fault if they blow it." Jasper said leveling me with a curious expression on his face.

"What's changed your views all of the sudden?" he said getting up and walking over to his mini fridge to grab two bottled waters. He then walked to the front of his desk, handed me a water, leaned back against his desk and crossed one ankle over the other.

"How long have we been friends Jasper?"

"Almost twenty seven years and I still can't get rid of you." He said smiling while taking a sip from his water.

I looked up at him with a serious look on my face and he turned and sat his water down on his desk before turning back to me and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Wow, I know that look and whatever's going on with you must be serious. So what is it, you're not dying are you?"

I shook my head before looking back up at him and he cocked his head to one side and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Does she feel the same way?" he said catching me totally off guard and I just stared at my best friend in complete amazement, because in twenty seven years, no one has ever been able to read me like my Jasper, not even mom and dad.

"I don't know, I mean I know she really cares about me, but I just don't know."

"Have you told her?" he asked walking over to look out his window and placing both hands in his pockets.

"For the most part, yes I have."

"Well what did she say? What did she do? Did she welcome your gesture or did she give you the impression it was unwanted?" he said turning to look at me over his shoulder.

"No, she um, cried a lot, and I don't know, we hugged a lot and kissed a couple of times. She was upset when it was time for me to go, but she never said the words."

"But you are sure you love her? Are you sure you are not just feeling sorry for this girl, Edward?"

"She's all I think about whether I'm here, at home, in my car, hell even when I sleep and I thought I could just be a friend to her and nothing else, but she's becoming everything to me."

"Normally especially under these circumstances, I would tell you to not even pursue this, but I wouldn't be your best friend if I didn't do some investigating of my own, especially once I figured out just how much you've been communicating with her. I had to threaten to take away Alice's spending allowance to get her to talk even a little bit; she's pretty loyal to you. But I have to say after learning the full story behind Bella's case, I can certainly see why you feel the way you do and trust me my friend, she does love you too, just give her time, she's been through a lot."

I sat and let Jasper's words settle on me and as he has always been able to do, he made things clearer for me and the little doubt I did feel when I walked into his office was now gone.

"So are you ready to bring in this New Year?" I said feeling a lot lighter than I had all week.

"Damn right I am, I've got big plans for next year, I'm ready to start a family." He said walking back around his desk.

"Does Alice know this yet?" I asked cocking an eyebrow at him.

"No but she will tonight, my friend." He said smiling "Come on let's get out of here." He said grabbing his suit jacket off the back of his chair.

This should be a very interesting end to the year!

**A/N: Thank you again for the reviews and alerts. Starting next chapter things are going to move forward a little bit and I hope to have it posted soon! You guys are blowing me away with your reviews and I appreciate them all!**


	26. Till You Love Me Song

**Hey guys if you get a chance listen to the song that inspired the story, by Reba McEntire, Beautiful song!**

**"Till You Love Me"**

I sent you roses, I warned you I would  
Do all that I could to show you the way that I feel  
Please, don't say I'm wasting my time  
I've got nothin' but time so I'll do all that I can to catch  
That ghost of a chance

The sunlight, the moonlight  
Are beyond my control  
And there are stars in the heavens  
That I'll never hold  
But if dreams give you power  
Then I'm strong enough to offer my heart  
And never give up till you love me  
Till you love me

I looked in your eyes, so bright and so blue  
And that's when I knew that you could be mine  
If good things come to those who will wait  
Well, I guess I can wait if that's what I have to do  
Oh, it's worth it for you

The sunlight, the moonlight  
Are beyond my control  
And there are stars in the heavens  
That I'll never hold  
But if dreams give you power  
Then I'm strong enough to offer my heart  
And never give up till you love me  
Till you love me

_**Next chapter will be posted within 10 minutes! thanks again!**_


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 26**

**Big Decisions **

**JPOV**

_**2 Months Later**_

"Edward, you know no one outside your parents support you more than I do, but I think you are getting in over your head with this one."

Edward and Bella have been going strong now for the last couple of months with non- stop, emails, calls and visits when allowed and as I knew they would, my words hit the mark and within two weeks of our talk in my office, Bella confessed her love for Edward. They had decided she would find out the sex of the baby and as fate would have it she is having a boy and naming him Edward, but she has insisted on the last name Swan. So for the last week I have been playing mediator between the two trying to get my thick skulled, stubborn, pig headed, very arrogant at times and use to getting everything his way friend to understand why Bella refuses to give into him and give the baby his last name.

"Look, Bella and I love each other very much and there is no doubt in my mind that I am going to marry her the first chance I get, which means she will become a Cullen, so why should the baby be named Swan, it doesn't make sense." He said and he honestly thought he had the **only** **valid** point in this argument.

"Edward, let's just use simple logic here for a moment, please. While it may be very easy for you to forget Bella's past and all that she went through, she **has** not and **will** not forget so easily. She loves you, but you are asking her to hand over too much control to you and after all she has been through she is not going to take the chance on giving her child your surname before she marries you. I mean God forbid, but what if things did not work out between you guys, where does that leave her?"

"First of all that's not going to happen, second of all, Bella knows there is nothing I would not provide for her and Edward even if we were not together."

"Does she? Does she really know that? How, how does she know Edward, because you told her? I'm pretty sure when she married her first husband she did not think she would become his punching bag either, but fuck Edward shit happens, you're attorney for Christ's sake you of all people should know this!" I said getting very annoyed with my ass of a friend.

"Don't you dare compare me to that son of bitch she was married to, I am **nothing** like him!" he said yelling and one good slap deserves another, right?

"Then get you head out of your ass and stop trying to fucking control her, asshole!" I said shouting back.

We both stood there glaring at each other, chests heaving, neither of us backing down and then the lovely Esme came in and ripped both of us a new one.

"What the hell is going on in here, I can hear you two all the way down the hall, have you lost your damn minds? This is a place of business not the damn gym, so I suggest the two of you get your testosterone under control, before I rip both your balls out and hand them to you!" she hissed and only Esme could be this mad and still look as classy as ever. She walked out slamming the door behind her and Edward fell in one of my chairs while I sighed and went to grab a couple of beers from my fridge and then locked my office door.

I walked over and handed one to Edward and sat in the seat next to him.

"You're like a brother to me Edward and I only want what's best for you. I know you love her and she loves you just as much and for that reason, you have to allow her to do this her way. All her life she has been controlled by something or someone and if you don't allow her this, what makes you any different?"

Edward took a sip of his beer and then leaned forward with his forearms resting on his knees, studying the beer bottle label.

"You know, as crazy as this may sound I feel like, that's **my** son she is carrying." Edward said letting out a humorless chuckle while still looking at his beer bottle.

"And if you do this right and be patient, he will be yours."

There was a knock at my door and when I opened it, there stood my stunning wife Alice and I moved to the side to let her in, closing the door behind her. She walked over and sat behind my desk and I took my seat back next to Edward.

"Everything okay in here, Esme was pretty pissed when I saw her?"

"Yeah we're good, right?" Edward said holding up his bottle of beer and I reached over and clanked mine against his."

"Yeah, we're always good man." I said before chugging down the rest of my beer.

"Well, I'm going to head to my mom's office to apologize to her." Edward said standing up and finishing off his beer also.

"Hey Alice is it true, you are actually going to let this guy knock you up? What happened to women's choices and rights to make decisions over their own bodies and blah, blah, blah." Edward said jokingly, teasing Alice.

"Well, Edward if you had someone as good as my honey fucking your brains out every night, you would know that resistance is futile."

"You tell him darling?" I said wrapping my hands around her tiny waist from behind and kissing her neck. "In fact Edward, would you be so kind as to lock that door behind yourself when you leave." I said nibbling on her earlobe causing her to giggle.

"Oh my God, that's just wrong on so many levels and you two are disgusting." He said grimacing before leaving my office.

"Was it something we said?" Alice said looking up at me and I shrugged my shoulders while I continued to assault her neck.

**A/N: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For all the reviews, you guys rock! We have jumped ahead a little bit, because we still have a lot of ground to cover, Bella is still in prison and we have to get her out, right? Keep reading guys!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 27**

**Compromise**

**EPOV**

_February 27, 2012_

_9:43 am_

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: Missing you!_

_Bella,_

_I haven't heard from you this morning which is unusual, where are you? I can't help but get worried when I don't get my regular 9am email. I know our conversation yesterday was a little heated and I am sorry for causing you more stress than you already have. I don't want us to fight and if giving the baby your last name until we are officially married makes you feel more secure, then I'll wait. It won't make me love him or you any less. I realize there are things in your past that will take time to work through emotionally, and the last thing I want to do is push you away by pushing you to do things you are not ready for, so please forgive my stupidity and stubbornness. I am a man of instant gratification and learning to sit and wait is a challenge for me. I have put $200 more on your books and if you need anything outside of that please let me know and Alice or I will get it to you right away. I talked to Emily early this morning and she says things are looking very promising for your case. She says she has uncovered some things that your last attorney, if that is what you can call him, did not present to the court and she has found a witness who is willing to testify about the abuse you suffered. As for your ex husband's cousin who works for Seattle Police Department, apparently he was covering up for his cousin and whenever the police came to your house for an incident, the report would mysteriously come up missing, but the calls are on the dispatcher's call log. So there is a lot that is not adding up and a suit may have to be brought against the police department as well for negligence. Well I have a closing in two hours and I was hoping to have heard from you by now. I am going to grab breakfast with Emmett first, so I'll be checking my phone for an email from you. I hope you slept well and feel okay today and please email me as soon as possible to let me know you're okay. I love you more than anything._

_Love always,_

_Edward _

After shutting down my computer I headed down to Emmett's office so that we could leave for the closing we have scheduled. We were stopping for breakfast on our way since we had two hours to kill.

"What's going on bro?" Emmett said as I walked into his office

"Nothing much, I haven't seen much of you lately, what or should I say who have you been doing."

Emmett grabbed his brief case and walked out of his office heading to the elevators and I followed behind him.

"Oh Emmett, Rose said don't forget dinner at 7pm, she said she will meet your there." Alice said smiling.

"Thanks Alice. " he said smiling back at her.

"Well I guess that answers my question, you finally got Rose to go out with you, incredible." I said laughing.

"She couldn't resist the charm forever, eventually she had to give in." He said beaming.

"So is it official or just trying things out?" I asked trying to see how serious he was about Rose.

"I think it's pretty official for both of us and man she's great. What about Bella how are things going with her?"

"Well I wanted to adopt the baby so that I could give him my last name, but Bella said no, not until we are married, so I am going to have temporary custody until her release date. "

"Are you sure you want to take on a three month old by yourself, I mean you know nothing about kids Edward?"

"I've been reading a lot and there are some classes I found that I can take that might help. Plus my mom has told me she will help out until I get the hang of things."

"What will this do to you as far as working, who's going to babysit?" Emmett asked as we walked into the pancake house and was seated by a waitress.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you and Jasper about that, I think I might have to take some time off from the office, at least until I can hire help and get the baby on a regular schedule. I figure I should be able to do some work from home and maybe attend some closings still, but nothing to heavy that first month."

"Okay, we need to have a meeting as soon as possible then." He said looking over the menu and then my phone alerted me of a new email. I looked down at my phone sure that it was Bella, but when I saw that it was from Dr. Clearwater, my heart dropped to my feet, something was wrong.

**A/N: It's a short one but I wanted to give you one more and at least let you know where Bella and Edward stood with each other. Please review and thanks again for your support.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 28**

**Complications**

**EPOV**

I quickly opened the email with my heart in my throat and began to read.

_February 27, 2012_

_From: Dr. Leah Clearwater_

_To: Edward Cullen_

_Subject: Bella Swan_

_Dear Mr. Cullen,_

_Please call my office as soon as possible 206-555-1992, press option 2 and my direct extension is 1012. Bella is okay, but she is having some complications with the pregnancy. I will explain her condition in more detail when I talk to you, thanks._

_Dr. Leah Clearwater_

"Oh no, please be alright." I said as I quickly dialed the number to the prison and pressed in Dr. Clearwater's extension.

"What's wrong, why do you look like you just saw a ghost?" Emmett asked as I punched numbers in my phone.

"It's Bella's doctor, she emailed me to call her, Bella's having complications." I said waiting for the phone to ring and pressing in her extension as the automated system instructed me to do.

"Dr. Leah Clearwater, how may I help you?" she answered on the second ring.

"Hi Dr. Clearwater, it's Edward Cullen, I just saw your email."

"Edward, thank you so much for calling right back and let me assure you first that she is okay. Bella started having contractions and they were pretty intense and when I check her uterus she was starting to dilate. So we have given her meds intravenously to stop the contractions and I have put her on total bed rest, which means she will remain in the hospital until she delivers the baby. Also she is showing signs of preeclampsia, not too bad, but we will continue to closely monitor her. She is approximately thirty and a half weeks and we would like for her to deliver no earlier than thirty eight weeks, although we will do a c-section as early as thirty six weeks if necessary. We are also giving her steroids through her IV to strengthen the baby's lungs in case we have to deliver early."

She stopped talking and my brain was going one hundred miles a minute trying to process all the information, because when it came to the medical world and lingo, I was lost.

"Hello Edward, are you still there?"

"Yes… I'm sorry Dr. Clearwater, it's just I'm an attorney so **law** is my language, what exactly are you saying and is Bella and my so… and the baby going to be alright, that's all I need to know." I said feeling like the biggest idiot for not being able to understand what she was telling me.

"Yes Edward, Bella and the baby will be just fine. The baby was trying to come out early, but we were able to give her medicine to stop that from happening. Preeclampsia is high blood pressure during pregnancy, but Bella's is borderline so I am not too worried. She will remain in the hospital under my care for another five to seven weeks. Did you have any more questions for me?"

"Will she be able to… you know, talk and email or is she too ill?"

"Yes, of course she can, she has a phone in her hospital room and she will have access to one phone call a day between 6 & 8 pm and she will still have her three emails a day and I will see to it that she has access to a computer here in the hospital, any other questions?"

"Um, yes one more, is there a way for me to be there, you when she has the baby?"

"You would need to be fingerprinted and have a background check done before they will give you clearance and that process can take up to three to four weeks to complete; With that being said if that is your plans, you need to start now."

I sat there in shock trying to wrap my mind around all this, while listening to the doctor speak.

"When can I talk to her and can I come see her?"

"You can only see her on the scheduled visitation days and as far as talking to her, I will have her contact you by phone or email when she wakes up from her nap, right now she is resting."

"Thank you, Dr. Clearwater I really appreciate you calling me and letting me know what is going on with Bella."

"It's not a problem at all, she has you down as her emergency contact person, but even if you weren't I still would have called you, you are the one person she would have wanted me to call."

My heart swelled when she said those words and I once again longed to hear from Bella. I finished eating breakfast with Emmett, eager to get through our day so that I could make it home in time for Bella's call.

**A/N: Hey guys I'm a little under the weather today, but I wanted to give you something. I will more chapters tomorrow. Thanks for the reviews.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward & 34 guests for the reviews , you guys make me feel so good! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts.**

**Special thanks to Ginny W 31, for correcting me on some of the medical terminology. Guys I made a mistake last chapter and I said Bella's uterus was starting to dilate, when it should have said her cervix started dilating. Also I'm learning that when pre-term labor starts it is very difficult to stop, but not impossible and the with preeclampsia they will sometimes deliver the baby immediately to avoid risking losing mom and baby. I am in no way a medical professional and I try to look up info on the internet to get as close to the truth as possible, however that sometimes leaves room for errors in the wording. So for you guys who work in the medical profession I will try to research a little deeper if I am writing on that subject. Thanks again for all your continued support! **

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 29**

**Meetings **

**EPOV**

"No, 9:00am is not a good time for me to meet, I have a… a… "Conference call" every morning at that time, but 9:30am would work just fine." I said to Emily Uley, Bella's attorney who would be coming to my office this morning to go over Bella's case and the hearing coming up next month.

She was costing me a pretty penny, being the top criminal defense attorney in Seattle and the one of the best in the country; she has never lost a case and has handled quite a few high profile cases over the past ten years. This one would probably be a walk in the park for her and I would not have employed anyone else to take on Bella's case.

"Sounds good Edward, me and one of my new associate attorneys will be there at 9:30."

I hung up the phone and realizing it was only 8:30am in the morning and I had some time to kill before Bella would email me, I decided to grab a muffin and coffee from our cafeteria and catch up on some emails I had not responded to yet.

As I sat back down at my desk and went into my inbox, I couldn't help opening the last one from Bella last night. She had not been able to call me at 6:00pm as usual, because she was still very nauseated and out of it from the meds they had given her and needed to just rest, however she did manage to shoot me a very brief email right before bedtime last night.

_**Flashback:**_

_February 27, 2012_

_8:52 pm_

_From: Bella_

_To: Edward_

_Subject: Miss you too!_

_Edward, _

_I am not feeling the best right now and so I am going to have to make this short and sweet. First of all I could never stay mad at you no matter how frustrating your stubbornness can be. If I have not learned anything else in the last almost four months about the man you are, it's that you don't bend easy and compromising is not one of your strengths, however I know more than others may know, that your heart is bigger than you ego,(shhh that will always be just our secret. ;). I know you feel very strong about the baby having your last name and I do understand why you want this so bad, but please try to understand my views on this and why it's so hard for me to just give you that right. I love you and I trust you, but please don't think for one moment that handing over Edward to you at three months of age is being taken lightly by me or is not one of the most difficult if not the most challenging thing I will ever have to do so far in my short life. The idea of being away from him for days on end literally makes me sick to my stomach and is the most harrowing thought plaguing my mind daily. I believe in being honest even if it stings a little and the truth is we've made some major decisions together and despite what my head says, I am following my gut and my heart, after all that's what led us together right, but this knowledge of my future separation from him is downright formidable and I feel like my insides are being shredded. I've let you take the lead on most things concerning us, my case and our future and I have done that with no doubt that you truly have and will make the right decisions, but on this matter, I am warning you Edward, tread lightly, and don't begrudge me the time I need to digest this reality of mine, of ours. I really have to lay back down now and I will email you at our usual time tomorrow morning. Again, I do love you even if we are not seeing eye to eye right, now._

_Love Always,_

_Bella_

_End of flashback_

I don't think I have ever been so scared of a woman that was not my mother in my entire life and I have to admit, seeing this side of Bella did nothing less than turn me on, she was not backing down and I loved it, because that's what **mothers** do. I was a little nervous about how our communication would go this morning, but I would assure her that while yes on most things I will not bend and pushing limits is totally my style, I know my boundaries and I am intelligent enough to know when to pick my battles.

I decided that instead of waiting for her to email me first that I would send her a message and wait for her response.

_February 28, 2012_

_8:39 am_

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: Humbly Waving my White Flag_

_Bella,_

_Wow, is all I can say to your email last night! I was a little taken aback, but I clearly understand the tone of the your message and I promise to never push __**that**__ limit again, at least not until you're out, living at home with me and Edward is starting kindergarten. There may be a small fight about what school he will attend, because nothing but the best will do. I apologize again for any unwarranted stress I have caused you and I will try to be more considerate when making decisions concerning us. I hope and pray the night brought you plenty of peaceful rest and that your nausea has subsided. If you are not feeling up to emailing this morning, please just have Dr. Clearwater send me a quick message to at least let me know you are still okay. I love you and I am patiently, but anxiously waiting to hear from you._

_Love Always,_

_Edward _

I sat back in my seat and so I could began to eat my muffin and looked up when I saw a figure standing in my office doorway.

"Good morning Edward, how are you today?" Rose said entering my office.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise, how are you Rose?" I said taking a sip from my coffee.

"I was wondering if you had a minute to spare, I wanted to clear some things up with you." She said looking very nervous.

"Sure, close the door and have a seat, is everything okay?"

"Well that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Edward… I don't want you or anyone at this firm for that matter to get the wrong impression of me."

I cleared my throat while leaning forward with my elbows on my desk and my fingers steepled in front of me before speaking again.

"I'm not sure I am following you, but go on." I said allowing her to speak again.

"I am a hard worker, always have been and I have **never** nor do I expect to **ever **have anything given to me other than that, that I have earned."

I sat staring at Rose having no clue where this was coming from or where this was going.

"Rose, did something happen that I am unaware of?" I asked trying to get some clarity out of this conversation.

"I've never dated anyone I've worked with especially, **"my boss"** and I don't want anyone thinking that any accomplishments I achieve while being employed here is due to anything other than my hard work and dedication to this company. Furthermore, I do not want members of management to think I am using my personal life to get ahead in my professional one." She finished looking totally flustered.

And I chuckled to myself as understanding took over me.

"Ah, this is about you and Emmett, am I correct?" I said leveling her with my stare before sitting back and crossing my legs.

"First of all Rose, I hired you and I can assure you it was not based on who I thought you might sleep with to get to the top of my firm. You graduated top of your class, you're highly intelligent, very competent, thorough to no end, very attractive inside and out and persuasive enough to sell fire in hell and water to a whale, **that's** why you're here. With that being said, who you allow to **ravish** you is of no concern of mine and has no bearing on how I view your work ethics. Although if I must say so myself, Emmett **is **one of my best friends and a great guy, so I don't question your choice, as for what anyone else thinks, well you know what they say, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one." She let out a small giggle before looking back up at me with a grateful smile.

"Thanks Edward, I appreciate your understanding."

"No problem, enjoy the rest of your day." I said as she stood to leave and just then Alice's voice came through my phone to announce that Emily had arrived and I quickly glanced at my clock to see that is was already 9:23am.

"Shit", I thought realizing I haven't even touched my muffin and my coffee was luke warm now.

"I'll be right out Alice." I said pressing the button on my phone before quickly placing the muffin in my drawer and tossing the coffee in the trash.

After putting back on my suit jacket and looking in my full length mirror inside my closet door to make sure my tie was straight, I headed to the waiting area to greet Emily and her associate attorney. As I approached Emily she stood and extended her hand out to me in which I grabbed it immediately, but it was the person standing next to her that made all the blood drain out of my face.

"Hello Edward, it's nice to see you again."

I quickly planted a polite smile on my face as to not alarm Emily and spoke back to her associate.

"Victoria, I didn't know you were back in Seattle, how are you?" I said shaking her hand.

Victoria, my ex girlfriend, was standing in front of me ogling me like I was a tall glass of ice tea on a hot summer day, and for the first time in my life, I felt uncomfortable under a woman's scrutiny.

"You two know each other?" Emily said her brows furrowed.

"Yes, Edward and I use to…."

I quickly cut her off before she could finish not wanting this to turn into a conversation about my past personal life.

"Er… we use to go to law school together." I said looking at Victoria and pleading with my eyes that she would leave well enough alone.

"Oh how nice, what a small world." Emily said smiling, oblivious to the façade that we were displaying.

I looked over at Alice who was scowling at Victoria and I quickly ushered them into my office.

**A/N: I made this one a little longer to make up for yesterday, hope you guys enjoy and please review, thanks.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 30**

**Skepticism**

**EPOV**

"Can I offer you ladies anything to drink before we get started?" I said trying to be as polite as possible and my mind was reeling trying to figure out how to explain to Emily that as good as she is, I did not want Victoria having any dealings with Bella's case.

"Yes I'll have water." Victoria said smiling at me and I quickly turned away not wanting to give her the wrong impression.

"I am going to run to the ladies room before we get started." Emily said and I almost followed her not wanting to be alone with Victoria.

As Emily made her way out of my office, Victoria turned back toward me crossing her long legs giving me what I guess was suppose to be a seductive smile, but only made me want to get further away from her.

"Here's your water." I said handing her a bottled water from my mini fridge with a glass.

"I see you've redecorated your office, nice colors." She said glancing around.

"Well I cannot take credit for this one, Alice actually picked out the patterns and colors." I said smiling to myself thinking about the hell Alice had given me shopping for **that** project.

"Yes, she _was_ always good as the help, wasn't she?" and at that moment I remembered why Victoria and I were not together anymore.

"Victoria, Alice is a lot more to me and this firm than "the help". I said very sternly and from the look on her face I think she knew not to continue that line of conversation.

Emily returned just in time to save Victoria from getting told off and our meeting began.

"So what do you have for me Emily?" I asked anxious to know how Bella's case was progressing.

"Well, for starters I was able to get a judge to sign off on a subpoena for the domestic violence reports filed by Bella and the dispatch call logs on the same dates so that we can see just how many reports were not filed properly. Proof that evidence was withheld alone will make any judge re-review this case. Also there is a next door neighbor, Angela Weber, who with some persuasion from Victoria, is now willing to give a sworn statement and testify that on at least two occasions Bella came to her home pretty battered after physical altercations with her husband Riley Bierman and on one occasion he even threatened bodily harm to Ms. Weber for helping Bella. With this new witness and evidence I think we have a pretty solid chance of her sentence getting overturned." She said sounding pretty confident and when I looked at Victoria she was sporting a very smug grin.

"Well Emily, this is music to my ears and I am sure Bella will be pleased with you and Victoria's discoveries." I said feeling a sense of relief for the first time in months, but also concerned about Victoria's involvement.

"I aim to please Edward." She said giving me a polite smile.

"Well for the money you are charging me, I certainly hope so." I said chuckling.

Emily and I were the best in Seattle in our respected areas of practice and we held each other in high regards.

"Oh, Edward regarding the adoption, I…"

"Uh, let's discuss that another time; I um… have another meeting I need to prepare for." I said quickly cutting her off before she said too much in front of Victoria.

"No problem, I can have Victoria shoot you an email later with the details, if that's okay." I stared at her and then at Victoria trying to conjure up a reason why her assistant on this case should not assist her on this case. I know, it sounds crazy to me too!

"Emily, I would much rather we discussed this matter in person, so how about I will check my schedule and maybe you and I can do lunch later this week." I said hoping she would not harp on this.

"That's fine, but I get to pick the restaurant." She said with furrowed brows eyeing me suspiciously

"But of course I wouldn't have it any other way." I said as we headed out my office and to the elevators.

I extended my hand and shook Emily's and when I went to shake Victoria's she pulled me into an unexpected hug and I froze.

"Edward it was so good seeing you again, we must do dinner sometime." She said placing a light kiss on my cheek and I swiftly and forcefully pulled away.

"With my schedule, I doubt if that will be possible anytime in the near future. Emily enjoy the rest of your day and I will call you about lunch." I said before Victoria could rebuttal and just then the elevator opened.

**A/N: Sorry guys that I was able to update yesterday and I will try to do at least one more chapter tonight. Thank you to those who left reviews and for those who have signed up for alerts and as story followers, please take the time to leave me your thoughts in a review also. I appreciate all of you.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 30**

**Quality Time**

**EPOV**

"Okay I've got a word for you." I said placing my game pieces on the scrabble board which was positioned on Bella's hospital room food tray.

"Olives, mmm that sounds good, good word." Bella said and I look at her like she was crazy.

"Yuk, disgusting, olives? Don't tell me you crave olives." I said grimacing at the thought.

"Hey, they're good and the baby loves them." she said rubbing her round belly.

"Well we are going to have to have a serious talk when he comes out of there, because there will be no olives in his diet if I can help it."

"Okay I've got a word." She said leaning forward and placing her letters on the board and when she finished she sat back with a triumphant smile.

"Bella, that is not a word." I said looking at the long word she spelled out.

"Is too."

"Is not"

"Yes, it is a word Edward, Google it." She said laughing and it was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.

"C-A-C-H-I-N-N-A-T-E, is not a word, I've never heard of it, use it in a sentence."

"I think your stubbornness is cute and it makes me cachinnate." See said laughing harder.

"Okay you are having way too much fun at my expense, so what exactly does that word mean?"

"Cachinnate means to laugh Edward, you should try it sometimes, it feels really good."

I sat back in my chair smirking and enjoying the look of pure happiness on her face. Here in this prison with guards right outside her hospital door, she could still find humor in something as simple as a scrabble game and I loved her for that. It was because of her that I was starting to see that real success in life and happiness is not about college degrees, letters behind your name and huge bank accounts, but rather being happy and satisfied with ones self and never forgetting how precious and fragile these lives of ours are.

"So you are laughing at me now?" I said with a smirk and a brow raised, which made her laugh calm down to a chuckle.

And as she wiped the tears from under her eyes, she looked me in my eyes with a more serious expression.

"You make me so happy Edward and I love you so much."

Wow I wasn't expecting the sudden switch in the atmosphere and needing to be closer to her I got up and grabbed her face between my hands and peppered her face with kisses from her forehead to her soft lips.

"Ditto baby" I said pulling back and looking her in her eyes.

I sat back down and we continued our game of scrabble.

"Okay I believe it's my turn." I said while starting to place my letters on the board.

"Now, that's not a word Edward." She said staring at the board

"Is too"

"Is not"

"It is Bella."

"M-O-N-C-O-E-U-R-M-O-N-A-M-O-U-R, is not a word, now you use it in a sentence." She said cocking her brow.

"Bella, mon Coeur, mon amour!"

"Wait, that wasn't English that was French."

"The rules did not say English only." I said shrugging my shoulders.

"What does that mean, Edward?"

"It means… Bella, my heart, my love."

She bit her bottom lip and her eyes filled with tears as she grinned.

"Edward, you don't know what that means to hear you say that." And I was at her side again kissing her forehead as I placed my right hand over her belly and rubbed.

"You guys means everything to me, please don't ever forget that." And at that moment the baby kicked causing both of us to gasp and Bella let out a teary laugh.

"He says you're pretty special too." She said smiling softly while placing her hand over mine.

"_Attention visitors, visiting hours will be over in ten minutes."_ a woman's voice came over the PA system and I saw Bella's shoulders slump.

"Hey, look at me, it won't be much longer, Emily says we have a firm argument and she is confident you will get out of here, okay." She nodded her head, but I could tell she wasn't convinced and I guess a lifetime of one disappointment after another, could take a lot you optimism away, but I had enough faith for us both.

**A/N: Here is another short chapter and I may try to squeeze in another one tonight. Thanks for the reviews I am very appreciative! You guys are awesome!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 31**

**Plans and Threats**

**EPOV**

I was headed to my parent's house to sit down and talk with my mom and dad, apparently my mom has convinced my dad that I am in over my head with Bella. As I pulled into their drive way, I saw Tanya sitting in Jacob's car, but apparently she was too engrossed in whatever he was saying to notice my arrival, that is until I was standing outside the window of the car. The look on both of their faces was priceless when they turned and looked at me. Tanya quickly rolled down her window, silently pleading with her eyes to not embarrass her in front of Jacob.

"Hey Edward, I didn't see you pull up." She said nervously.

"I bet" I deadpanned.

"Hello, sir" Jacob said and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

I slightly bent my knees so that I could look in his car and see him.

"Sir? I don't think I am that much older than you, Edward will do just fine." I said leveling him with a stare.

"Hello Edward." He said looking just as nervous as Tanya.

"Are you guys heading out somewhere?"

"No, we were just…"

"Good, why don't we take this inside." I said cutting off my sister and turning around to head towards the house. I heard two car doors close behind me and I chuckled to myself thinking about the ass I was being toward Jacob, but secretly I kind of liked the guy.

Once inside my parent's house I sent Tanya to help my mom in the kitchen while I took Jacob into my dad's office.

"Have a seat Jacob" I said as I sat behind my dad's desk.

"So you want to marry my sister, why so soon?"

"Because I know that there is no one else I will ever want to be with, she is it for me." He said with more conviction than I ever imagined he would.

"And you love her, unconditionally?"

"With all my heart." He said looking me directly in my eyes without flinching.

"My father says you have a promising future, how exactly do you plan to take care of her better than we have?"

"I am finishing up my second year of medical school this spring." He said proudly.

"Medical school? You're going to be a doctor?" I asked shocked.

"Yes sir…er…Edward."

And just like that, I liked this kid, a lot. He wanted to be a doctor just like my Bella.

"Well I will be watching you and you better do right by my sister, you hear me."

"Yes, but I don't need to be scared into loving her, she already has my heart." He said with a small smile paying on his lips.

"Good, let's get downstairs before they come looking for us. Welcome to the family" I said getting up and shaking his hand.

"Thank you."

Mom and Tanya were sitting at the kitchen table and my dad was cooking dinner. Tanya face lit up when she saw Jacob was still in one piece and she quickly ran into his arms. I felt just a tinge of pain, because not so long ago, I use to make her face light up like that and she would run into my arms whenever I came by. She is all grown up now and I guess I have to accept that.

"Guys, Jake and I are going out for ice cream and maybe a movie if we can find anything good playing. Would any of you like to join us?" she said looking over at me.

"No sweetie, you guys go have fun, we'll see you when you get back." I said feeling happy that she still didn't mind spending time with her big brother.

"Hey mom, dad, how are you guys?" I said kissing my mom's cheek and nodding at my dad. I sat down next to her at the kitchen table and she took my hand in hers, which means she'd worried about something.

"Edward, we wanted to talk to you about Bella and the baby."

"Okay, what about them mom?"

"Honey, you know I love you and I am speaking from a place of experience, but Edward I really don't think you realize what you are getting yourself into taking custody of a three month old baby."

"Son, what your mom is trying to say is raising a child is not easy, it takes patience, a lot of time, a lot of sacrifices and a whole lot of love. We had some challenging times when you and Tanya were kids and it was two of us and your mom didn't work. Not only will you be a single parent starting out, you work full time running a law firm and you are dealing with a newborn, and they are not consistent in anything they do. They sleep when you are awake, are awake when you need to sleep, they eat constantly and let's not discuss the diapers they go through and then they cry for no reason at all and no matter how much you try to sooth them they don't stop." My father finished looking like he was having a flashback from thirty years ago.

"Oh for heaven's sake Carlisle you make them sound like aliens or monsters, they're babies for crying out loud and they **do not** cry for **no** reason, there is always a reason even if we cannot figure it out. We are just concerned that this will be a little overwhelming for you and we don't want you to bite off more than you can chew, because unlike food you can't throw babies away or just take them back for a refund if you're not satisfied." My mom said in the most loving way she could.

"I appreciate you guy's concern, I really do and you guys know I value your opinions, but I love her and I am ready for whatever comes with that. I know this will not be easy and I will practically be turning my entire life upside down, but that's the beauty of it. To love something or someone so much that you are willing to let them take you out of your comfort zone and though you don't know everything that may happen, in your heart you know no matter what everything will work out. I will give this baby all the attention, patience and love he can stand and then some, I will cut my work hours back, I will hire a nanny and a full time housekeeper, I will take as many classes as necessary to make sure I am taking proper care of him, I'll sing him lullaby's when he can't sleep, I'll hold him close when he cries and I don't know why and I will give him the life his mother never had."

"Well Edward, it seems you have thought more about this then we may be giving you credit for." My father said with a smile.

"Have you started shopping for the baby yet Edward?" My mom asked.

"No, I've got four months before I will take over custody, mom."

"Oh honey, trust me it will be here before you know it. So the first thing we need to do is change that second bedroom in your condo to a nursery, that alone will take a couple of months to complete. Any ideas on colors or a themes?" She asked and I could see the excitement in her eyes.

"No, I guess I haven't really thought about the nursery, but I would probably let Bella pick out what she thinks should go in the nursery."

"That's perfect, you find out from her and leave the decorating up to me, I'm sure Alice will love to help with this project."

"That's a great idea Esme, he is going to need all the help he can get." My dad saying sitting at the table with us.

"Are you going to stay for dinner Edward?" my mother asked.

"No, Bella will be calling in thirty minutes so I've got to get home, I love you guys." I said getting up to head home.

Bella's call came through at 6:01pm and I still got just as excited as the first time when she called. I impatiently waited for the operator to stop talking and then pressed option 1 to connect the call.

"_Hello"_

"_Hello love, how are you?" _I said sitting down on my couch and putting my feet up.

"_uncomfortable, but I am managing."_

"_Why are you uncomfortable?" _I asked concerned.

"_The baby has shifted to a weird position and I have to use the bathroom every thirty minutes and at night I can't sleep without a pillow in between my legs because I get sore…you know…down… there."_

"_You mean down there, down there… as in you…r private area?" _I asked swallowing hard, because as long as it had been since I had sex, thinking about Bella's privates were not helping at all.

"_Yes and it is so hard to get a good night's rest. I spend most of my night tossing and turning._

Bella had just entered into her eighth month of pregnancy and from what I have read this is when most mothers get anxious to have the baby already.

"_Maybe you should use an extra pillow and ask Dr. Clearwater what will help. How are things otherwise?"_

_Good no complaints."_

"_Are you ready for your hearing next week?" I asked knowing she's been avoiding this subject._

" _I'm nervous, anxious, scared, excited, you name it and I've felt it."_

"_Listen I know this is easier said than done, but please try to relax. Alice has gone to get you a suit and shoes to wear and Dr. Clearwater is going to keep your clothes for the hearing in her office once they have gone through inspections."_

"_Make sure you thank Alice for me Edward she has gone out of her way so much for me."_

"_You're worth it and she knows that." _I said trying to reassure her.

Bella and I talked until her time was up and then I spent the rest of my night going through files and preparing for a staff meeting the next day. I was feeling pretty good about my talk with my parent's and about Bella's hearing. Just after 8pm, my cell phone rang with an unknown number and when I answered an unfamiliar, slightly distorted male voice started to speak.

"_**If you value your life you will stop pursuing this case with Isabella Swan or you're a dead man!"**_ and then they hung up.

I sat staring at my cell phone and then quickly dialed Emily's number and she answered on the second ring.

"Hey Edward what's going on?" she asked.

"Emily have you received any threatening phone calls?"

"No, why have you?"

"Yes, someone just called me and said if I value my life to stop pursuing this case with Bella."

"Oh my God, Edward you should call the police and make out a report, did you get the number they called from?"

"No, whoever this was blocked their number, so I have no idea where this call came from."

"But who would want to threaten you, it's not like this is a high profile case." Emily said sounding confused.

"I don't know but we definitely need to meet tomorrow after my staff meeting. Will 11am work for you?" I asked looking at my monthly schedule that Alice had emailed me.

"That should work, I will see you tomorrow."

"Okay and Emily please be careful, I don't want to take anything for granted."

I got off the phone with Emily and my mind was reeling trying to figure out who would not want us to pursue getting Bella's case overturned.

**A/N: Hey guys thanks for all the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I am still trying to recover so I apologize for not posting more chapters.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, Kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward, Bear1867, sexycanI,francesmama, Tulips at Twilight, pinkscoush, Jenn, Handa59, BookHound, acw1 & 39 guests for the reviews , for taking the time to leave me your thoughts and theories, you guys are fantastic! Also thanks again to those who signed up my story as a favorite and for alerts.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 33**

**Solving Mysteries**

**EPOV**

Jasper and I left the office at 10:45am headed out to meet with Emily for and late breakfast/early lunch. Jasper insisted on coming with me when I informed him of the threatening call I had received the night before.

"So did you recognize the voice at all?" he asked as we got into my limo waiting in front of our office building.

"No, the voice sounded very distorted like they were using some kind of device or something." I said before instructing my driver of where to take us.

"So then it could have been a male or a female?" he asked with his brows furrowed.

"Yeah I guess you're right, it could've been."

"Do you think her ex husband's cousin had anything to do with it?"

"Well that would be the logical guess, but he is suspended until the investigation is over and he has to know he would be the first one we would point a finger at." I said thinking to myself could his cousin really be that stupid.

We walked into the restaurant to meet Emily and we were seated immediately. I would be sure to talk to her about me being uncomfortable with Victoria working on this case due to our history also. Emily arrived shortly after and Jasper and I both stood as she approached our table.

"Good morning gentlemen." She said as Jasper pulled out her seat.

"Good morning Emily, how are you this morning." I said as I took my seat.

"Well that remains to be seen after what you told me last night. Please tell me you called the police and made out a report."

"Yes, I did and I will be requesting a copy of it after it has been filed to make sure it has actually been filed properly."

"You don't think her husband's cousin Paul did this do you?" she asked.

"I asked the same question." Jasper said.

"I really have no idea, but I want to be extra careful now to protect Bella as well as myself."

"No problem, I will call the warden after our meeting to let her know of this threat and as soon as the police report is available I will send her a copy for their files."

"Speaking of protection, I wanted to talk to you about Victoria."

"Why is she in some sort of danger?" she asked looking confused.

"No, not that I'm aware of, it's just…Victoria and I… we dated and I am not very comfortable with her being on this case."

"Oh Edward, surely you won't let the fact that you dated her make you remove someone with her talent off a case this important to you. She's very good and thorough, and I'm sure she knows how to separate personal from…

I shook my head to let her know it was more than just a few dates.

"No Emily, listen to me, it wasn't just a few dates, she's my ex-fiancé, I almost married her and things did not end well.

"Oh, I see I didn't know you were ever engaged, I can see how that may cause problems." She said looking apologetic.

"Listen I don't think she would do anything crazy, but if you could just keep an eye on her involvement I would appreciate it." I said letting her know I trust her judgment.

"I can definitely do that and if I think she is doing anything not in the best interest of this case I will call her on it immediately, but I will try to limit her involvement all together." She said patting my hand in reassurance.

"Now down to business, I recently sat down with Bella on a visit to get better insight into her marriage and apparently her husband was also having an affair and when she confronted him about it she was beaten up pretty bad. I asked her if she knew who he was having an affair with and she did not know."

"How is that relevant now that he is dead?" I asked.

"Because, **that** person would have motive to threaten you and would not want Bella out of prison." Jasper said.

"Exactly, according to Bella she found out about the affair right before the shooting incident, so this very well may have been someone he was still involved with at his time of death, and they want revenge." Emily said agreeing with Jasper.

"So, wait a minute, are you telling me I might be dealing with some crazy ass ex lover of his that is trying to avenge the death of her true love?"

"Or **his** true love, we still have not determined if the call came from a woman or a man." Jasper said with his brows raised.

"Okay, this shit is crazy and I'm pretty sure I've lost my damn appetite, what the fuck man, I feel like I'm in an episode of CSI?!" I said running my hand through my hair.

"Calm down Edward this is my area of practice not yours, so just let me do the job I was hired for. In the mean time I am going to need you to get yourself a personal body guard and do not drive yourself anywhere before I can figure out if this threat was an empty one or not."

OOOO00000000OOOO

I returned to my office after our lunch aggravated and a little annoyed that Bella had never mentioned this affair to me. Why would she keep something like that from me, something that obviously caused her a lot of pain? I sat down and turned on my computer to email her, because I needed answers on why she was holding back information from me.

**A/N: Please read and review! I hope you guys are enjoying this story and the plot only thickens from here! Thanks for the support!**


	35. Chapter 35

**This chapter is dedicated to the lovely Monica Solis "My Banner Girl" for creating my awesome banner for this story and The Twi˜FanFiction Banner Group, thanks for all your support, you guys are the best.**

**Please visit my Facebook page to see banner: Edwardforever Cullen.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 34**

**Dangerous thoughts and Wet Dreams**

**EPOV**

_Her skin felt like silk against mine as I slowly kissed every inch of her glorious body starting from her collar bone and working my way down to one of her supple breast taking her nipple into my mouth and sucking gently while rubbing her other nipple between my thumb and forefinger, causing her to moan and squirm._

"_Edward I need you inside of me, please." She said panting for breath._

_I continued to kiss down her body licking and nipping at her stomach leaving a train of warm wet kisses as I made my way to the apex of her thighs, I paused to look up at her and as her gaze met mine there were so many things being said that we needed no words to understand._

"_I've waited so long for this, to taste you, you smell so good." I said before running my tongue over her clitoris, eliciting another moan from Bella._

_I parted her legs while I flattened my tongue and ran it across her opening and back up to gently nip at her clitoris before sinking two fingers inside of her and she arched her back and bucked her hips in response. She continued to writhe as I moved my fingers inside of her curling them slightly bringing her to the brink of her release and I could feel her walls tightening around my fingers as she called out my name._

"_Edward, please… now… I need you so bad, please Edward."_

_She pleaded as she found her release while I thrust my fingers in and out of her feeling her walls constrict and pulsate as I continue to stimulate her by sucking her clitoris. I then kissed my way back up her soft body until I reached her lips and pushed my tongue hungrily into her mouth and she kissed me back with the same passion and eagerness, while using her foot to push my boxers down and I sprung free. I pulled back to look her in her eyes, to see if she wanted and needed this as much as I did and when her eyes met mine I found all the answers I ever needed in them. _

_I kicked my boxers off and hovered over her supporting my weight on my elbows._

"_Are you ready for me baby?" I whispered in her ear and she nodded vehemently before I slammed into her causing her to cry out as I took her nipple into my mouth softly biting and sucking._

"_Bella… I love you so much baby, come for me again." I whisper and I can feel her walls constricting again as I filled her to the hilt, in and out, swiveling my hips around and around until she fell apart again and I found my own release right behind her._

"_Bella, oh Bella yes baby…fuck you feel so damn good!"_

I woke up panting for breath, hugging the pillow I was lying on top of, spent from the dream that seemed so real just sixty seconds ago. My cell phone is blaring on my night stand and as I try to get myself together, I reach over and grab it swiping the screen to answer Alice's call. My voice was husky and I was somewhat out of breath from my "work out session".

"Edward, what are you doing? You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago and your client just arrived for the meeting. Jasper is at a closing and Emmett has not made it in yet, what do you want me to do?"

"Shit, shit, shit! I over slept Alice, I'll be there as soon as possible. Serve them refreshments and call down to the café and have pastries brought up, okay?"

"Sure thing, how long will you be?"

"About 45 minutes, transfer me to Rosalie." I said praying she was sitting in her office.

"Rosalie Hale, may I help you?"

"Rosalie, this is Edward and I need a huge favor?"

"What's up, what do you need Edward?" she asked curiously.

"I overslept and I have a client waiting to meet with me downstairs. I am going to have Alice pull the file and I need you to start the meeting for me, I will get there as soon as I can."

"I don't really practice real estate, maybe one of the other…"

"No, this is an important client and I trust you. I know you don't work in real estate, but no one is better at contracts and this meeting is to explain the terms of the merger contract."

"Alright, I'll handle it, but please get here soon, if this client is as important as you say, I don't want to screw anything up."

"Oh trust me one look at you and he will forget his meeting with me, he's a nice, old, perverted man, if you know what I mean. I owe you big time!" I say before hanging up.

After calling Alice back, I hopped in the shower and I still couldn't believe I had an orgasm all over myself and my pillow, which has not happen to me since I was a teenager by the way. If Bella does not get out soon, I may be forced to break some prison rules, after all a man can only be teased and tempted so much.

After showering and washing my hair, I walked into my closet to pick out a suit, tie and shoes and quickly got dressed. I turned on my computer before leaving to find an email from Bella, but I would have to read it after my meeting. I called for my driver and ate a bagel while waiting and then headed out to my office.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and I apologize for not posting yesterday. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please leave a review, thanks again!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 35**

**Explanations**

**EPOV**

After my morning meeting which carried into the very early afternoon, I ordered lunch from the café to be brought up and decided to eat lunch in my office. Rosalie handled Mr. Lauten like a champ and just as I thought, he did not mind me being late at all, in fact if I had never shown up, that would have been fine with him also.

I turned on my computer feeling both anxious and nervous to read Bella's email, because she was responding to mine in which I questioned her on why she had never told me that the ex had an affair on her. In hind sight, you should never send out messages when you are angry or annoyed, because you may come off a little abrasive. I know that she is upset with me because she did not call yesterday as scheduled and I did not get an email from her last night, however Dr. Clearwater emailed me to say that Bella was alright and to give her time after I emailed her asking if she was okay.

_**Flashback:**_

_March 6, 2012_

_12:55 pm_

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: Secrets and Trust!_

_Bella,_

_I hope you are feeling okay today and your afternoon is going better than mine. I just came back from a meeting with Emily Uley in which we were discussing your case and a threatening phone call I received last night after talking to you and imagine my surprise when I found out that one of the suspects who may have had something to do with that call could be the ex- lover of your now deceased husband! I know that this may seem small to you, but I need you to trust me enough to be open and honest about everything with me. Is there anything else you have not told me or should I just wait to hear it from Emily. I will be there to visit you on Friday and we can discuss things in more detail then, because there are some things that I don't want to discuss by email. I love and miss you despite your lack of trust in me._

_Yours Forever,_

_Edward_

_**End of Flashback**_

As I opened her email, there was a knock on my door and in walked Alice with my lunch from the café.

"Thanks Alice."

"Sure thing, I'm leaving for lunch now."

"Enjoy" I said as she walked out and closed my door.

I turned my attention back to Bella's email and began to read. The subject line alone made my insides coil and I instantly regretted sending my email.

_March 7, 2012_

_9:01 am_

_From: Bella_

_To: Edward_

_Subject: Assuming and making an ASS out of you!_

_Mr. Cullen,_

_First of all, I am very unhappy to hear about this phone call and I hope you went straight to the police, second I do not even know where to start with you, but let me start by saying that if at this point if who my __**dead **__husband was fucking besides me has your underwear in this much of a bunch, we have bigger issues than trust, like INSANITY! __**I**__ have not intentionally held __**anything**__ back from you and I resent you implying that I would. Honestly, what would I have to gain by doing so, I am the one locked up, behind bars with my freedom stripped from me! That man made my life miserable, a pure living hell for years and you honestly have to question our limited conversations about my marriage to him! I don't know about you, but I am not into the whole self torture thing at all and I tend to steer away from those things that bring back painful memories, as if being in this place is not punishment enough. He got the easy way out and I'm still here having to deal with the repercussions of marrying him! Talk about getting the short end of the stick, but you wouldn't know anything about that would you, because if all else fails you could always just buy the long end of the stick, right? And don't you ever question my trust in you; I gave you my friendship, my heart, my love and my son! But you could not have gained any of those things without my trust first, so maybe I am not the one with trust issues, since you felt the need to even question me about this. I hope you take sometime in the next day or so to think about what you really want, because maybe you are getting in over your head._

_Bella_

I was stunned and quite frankly had lost my appetite. She called me Mr. Cullen and that couldn't be good. She thinks I may be having second thoughts about her and Edward and that could not be further away from the truth. I love and trust her with all my heart and Edward is **our** son, not just hers. I really fucked up and I need to make this right because losing Bella and Edward is not an option ever for me.

When Alice came back from lunch, I summoned her help and let her read the two emails.

"You're a fucking idiot you know that?"

"Excuse me?" I said shocked

"Edward, what were you thinking sending her this kind of email, and all because she did not tell you who her ex husband was banging behind her back, how stupid are you? This girl has given you more trust than any woman you have ever known, how much do you have to trust someone to give them custody of your newborn, think Edward! Why would you insult her like that as if she does not have enough to think about already, she doesn't need the extra from you of all people."

"I know, I know Alice, I think I… just got jealous that she was hiding something and that she may still have feelings for him."

"Edward, he's gone and you're here, don't force her to talk about things before she is ready, this is still an open wound for her and part of helping her heal is giving her time. I do not think she has any remaining feelings for him, but she is still feeling the impact of her decision to marry him and that is why she tries not to discuss him with you. His memory represents pain, suffering, hurt, loneliness, fear, struggle and unhappiness and yours represents comfort, companionship, courage, compassion, joy, happiness and most of all love. With all that you two have together who would want to dwell on the past."

I felt ashamed and so unworthy of Bella's love for questioning her trust. She deserved better and I needed to apologize and let her know that she means everything to me and that having her and Edward in my life is more than just a desire for me, it's a necessity.

**A/N: Okay here is the second chapter I promised, hope you enjoy it. Please read and leave your thoughts in a review, thanks.**


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 36**

**Setting the Record Straight**

**EPOV**

I headed home from work that evening with my mind in overdrive and though I agreed with some of what Alice said, I still believed I had a right to be upset and the more I thought about the situation the more determined I was to stick to my guns.

After grabbing a shower, I heated up leftovers from my mom's house and sat down to call Dr. Clearwater.

"Hey Edward, how are you?" she said answering her cell phone.

"I'm good, how are you Dr. Clearwater?

"Good, how can I help you?"

"I need a favor if you can manage it. I need about fifteen minutes to speak with Bella without anyone being able to hear us tomorrow. I wasn't sure if I could pull that off in her hospital room without being heard. I have some important information relevant to her case that I cannot say over the phone or put into an email without possibly jeopardizing her appeal request."

"The only thing that I can do is keep the guard outside her room distracted long enough so that you can talk to her without interruption and without the possibility of being heard. There are no cameras or recording devices in the patient's rooms, only in the common areas, so you guys should be okay as long as you're not shouting."

"Great, so I will be there tomorrow at 2:30pm for check in and the security check and I'll see you at 3:00pm." I said before hanging up and grabbing me a beer.

I checked my email inbox and found nothing from Bella, not since this morning. 6:00pm came and went with no call from Bella and 9:00pm came and went with no email. I decided if she was going to play hardball so would I, so after changing my sheets, I went to bed dreaming of my favorite girl, even if she was mad at me right now.

OOOO00000000OOOO

I woke up the next morning well rested and ready to see Bella. I decided to fix myself a proper breakfast, since on most days this was the meal I skipped, complete with pancakes, bacon, eggs, a fruit cup and coffee. After watching a couple of morning games shows, doing a load of laundry, washing up my dishes and getting dressed it was time to head out.

I arrived at the prison at 2:38pm and quickly made my way inside. After checking in and going through security, I waited to be escorted to the prison hospital by a guard. When I made it to Bella's room, Dr. Clearwater was already sitting in there.

Bella was standing by the window and turned around when she heard my name.

"Well hello Edward." Said Dr. Clearwater as she rose from her chair.

"Hello, Dr. Clearwater, how is everything going?" I asked as if I had not just spoken to her less than twenty four hours ago.

"I can't complain at all. Well I have paperwork to finish, so if you would excuse me and Bella I'll be back to check on you later." She said as she made her way to the door pulling it closed behind her.

Bella continued to stare out of the window with her back to me and not wanting to waste any of our time I started talking right away.

"Bella, we need to talk." I said as I walked over closer until I was standing right behind her.

"About?" she said softly

"About you, your case and us."

She turned around and narrowed her eyes at me before speaking.

"I have nothing to say Edward." She said and tried to turn back toward the window, but I grabbed her arm and turned her back to face me.

"Well I have plenty to say, so have a seat, you don't need to be standing this long."

"I don't want to sit down and I don't want to discuss why I did not tell you about my ex husband sleeping with someone else, because what difference does it make now?"

What difference does it make Bella? It makes a big fucking difference, because you got charged with involuntary manslaughter based on your claim of self defense from physical abuse. But the fact that you knew that your husband was having an affair and had confronted him about it just days before the shooting opens up a whole other can of worms. That little piece of information that you felt was so "irrelevant" gives you motive, and if you had a motive to kill him, any half way decent prosecutor will present this to a judge as being premeditated and ask that your charges be changed from involuntary manslaughter to first degree murder, which is a class A felony in the state of Washington holding a sentence of life in prison, NOW SIT DOWN, RIGHT NOW!" I said through gritted teeth and narrowed lips trying not to raise my voice.

The look on Bella's face was one of pure horror, but she did as she was told and took her seat.

"Now you listen to me, I am still an attorney and it is my job as well as my nature to think outside the box and to view things from every possible angle. As the _man_ in your life who _loves_ you, it is my job to protect you, but I will not be made to feel guilty about how I choose to do so. Yes I have a lot of fucking money and with that comes a lot of damn power and I will not make any apologies for using that power to get you out of this hellhole."

Bella sat staring at me with tears streaming down her face with a look of pure shock and disbelief.

"You get your attitude and emotions under control, because I will not be challenged by you like this again and this is added stress that neither you nor **my** son needs. I have never given you reason not to trust me or think that I would do something to hurt you, Bella." I finished pointing at my chest as I stared into her eyes and then I slowly knelt down in front of her.

I reached up and held her face between my hands and used my thumbs to wipe away her tears before pressing my lips to hers ever so softly.

"You have to start trusting me, with your **whole** heart because I'll never break it, I love you too much to ever hurt you." I whispered against her lips while rubbing my nose against hers.

"I'm so sorry Edward, I'm so sorry." She cried throwing her arms around me.

"It's ok love, I'm not going anywhere, just trust me, please." I said as I continued to kiss her face and wipe her tears.

"I do trust you Edward and I love you so much, I don't know what I would have done without you believing in me and I know I owe you everything."

"You owe me nothing Bella, I have you and him and that's more than I could have ever asked for." I said placing my hand on her belly. "And Bella this conversation goes no further than this room, am I clear?"

"Yes" she said nodding.

The rest of our visit was spent just talking and laughing and when it was time to leave I thanked Dr. Clearwater for helping me out and left Bella with a promise to email her as soon as I made it home. We would not have our 6:00pm call tonight, because Jasper had scheduled some emergency meeting with all the attorneys in our real estate department and said all the partners needed to be there also. Something to do with scheduling training classes on the new real estate laws in the states we held offices in which was part of his job as the partner that handled compliance. Now why this meeting had to be at 6:00pm instead of during office hours, I have no idea but oh well.

After grabbing something to eat I arrived at my office a little after 6:00pm and headed to our main conference room that sat at least thirty five people and when I opened the door I couldn't believe my eyes.

"_**Surprise!" **_everyone yelled and I was so confused until I read the big banner that said "Congrats Edward & Bella It's A Boy!" They were giving us a baby shower. I looked around at my family and close friends and shook my head as I made my way into the decorated room full of party favors, food and gifts and I thought to myself this is amazing, I wish Bella could be here to see this.

**A/N: Hope this chapter answered a lot of you guy's questions from last chapter. Please read and review I love hearing from all of you!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward, Bear1867, sexycanI, francesmama, Tulips at Twilight, pinkscoush, Jenn, Handa59, BookHound, acw1, Night script, witchykitty 1313, ducksandruns, mosolis05, crocuslady, chepburn77, mdsngrc, edaddict3254, ILoveFanFiction74, cullengirl08, D-maximum twilight, padme35, mayejrmorris, Momma Laura, Debbie White, it's simply me n you & 51 guests for the reviews. Also thank you very much for taking the time to leave me your thoughts and theories, you guys are fantastic! Also thanks again to those who signed up to follow my story, has tagged it as a favorite and signed up for alerts.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 37**

**The Truth Doesn't Always Set You Free**

**BPOV**

"I don't want to sit down and I don't want to discuss why I did not tell you about my ex husband sleeping with someone else, because what difference does it make now?" I said feeling humiliated at just the thought of him knowing this.

It had been bad enough when I had to talk to Emily about this, because those were memories I wanted to bury and never dig up again; but being my attorney she was relentless, and just kept asking one question after another until I broke. I had tried to hold back as much as I could, but Emily made it very clear she could not properly represent me and fight my case if I was not completely open and honest with her. So I did what I knew how to do best, what I did all my life to make it through the pain, I went into a place in my mind where I became numb and did not allow myself to feel and I spilled my guts to her, I would just have to deal with the hurt of having to talk about this later. All I know is at this point, I was not willing to do anything to hurt my case, not when Edward has put so much on the line for me.

Edward started talking again and broke me out of my thoughts.

What difference does it make Bella? It makes a big fucking difference, because you got charged with involuntary manslaughter based on your claim of self defense from physical abuse. But the fact that you knew that your husband was having an affair and had confronted him about it just days before the shooting opens up a whole other can of worms. That little piece of information that you felt was so "irrelevant" gives you motive, and if you had a motive to kill him, any half way decent prosecutor will present this to a judge as being premeditated and ask that your charges be changed from involuntary manslaughter to first degree murder, which is a class A felony in the state of Washington holding a sentence of life in prison, NOW SIT DOWN, RIGHT NOW!"

Edward's words hit me like an unexpected blow to my stomach knocking all the wind out of me. Motive, premeditated, LIFE IN PRISON, none of this had crossed my mind because when I asked Riley if he was cheating he denied it, and I wanted to believe that I was not so inadequate that I couldn't keep my husband satisfied so bad, that I never brought it up again. But never in my wildest dreams had imagined this could come back to haunt me.

Though I have to admit I had fallen out of love with him long before the end, I believed in loyalty and that's why I never left. I knew all too well what it felt like to have people walk out on you and I refused to do that him. In hindsight, it wasn't the best decision and leaving would have been better because I would not be here, but then again that means I also would not have Edward. This whole thing is so complex, nothing is cut and dry or black and white, they're various shades of gray all through this story of mine.

As I took my seat as Edward demanded of me, I could feel the unwanted hot tears start to run down my face and as I looked up at Edward I could see so many emotions in his eyes; anger, hurt, confusion, frustration, determination, strength, pride, but the one that stood out the most was love. Yes, even in his ranting I could feel how much this man loves me and will do anything to protect me. It's a love that I have not felt since I was fifteen living with my grandmother, an unconditional love not based off of what I can offer in return, it just is.

"Now you listen to me, I am still an attorney and it is my job as well as my nature to think outside the box and to view things from every possible angle. As the _man_ in your life who _loves_ you, it is my job to protect you, but I will not be made to feel guilty about how I choose to do so. Yes I have a lot of fucking money and with that comes a lot of damn power and I will not make any apologies for using that power to get you out of this hellhole."

I did not say anything because I could not find my voice, so I continued to listen to what he was saying knowing this was coming from a place deep in his heart where not many had the privilege to hold a place.

"You get your attitude and emotions under control, because I will not be challenged by you like this again and this is added stress that neither you nor **my** son needs. I have never given you reason not to trust me or think that I would do something to hurt you, Bella." He finished pointing at his chest as I stared into his eyes and then he slowly knelt down in front of me.

He reached up and held my face between his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away my tears before pressing his lips to mine ever so softly.

"You have to start trusting me, with your **whole** heart because I'll never break it, I love you too much to ever hurt you." He whispered against my lips while rubbing his nose against mine and I fell apart. No longer able to contain myself, I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

"I'm so sorry Edward, I'm so sorry." I said between sobs.

"It's ok love, I'm not going anywhere, just trust me, please."

"I do trust you Edward and I love you so much, I don't know what I would have done without you believing in me and I know I owe you everything." I said feeling guilty for not telling him everything, no matter how painful it may have been to talk about it.

"You owe me nothing Bella, I have you and him and that's more than I could have ever asked for." He said placing his hand on my belly. "And Bella this conversation goes no further than this room, am I clear?"

"Yes" I said nodding in agreement, because the last thing I wanted to do was mess up everything he was trying to do for me.

Before he left he told me we would not be able to have our usual 6:00pm call, because he had a mandatory meeting at work that he could not miss, but promised we would talk by email tonight.

Leah came into my room at about five minutes to six and I wondered what she was still doing at work since she had been off for almost an hour.

"What are you still doing here this late? I asked as she closed the door and walked over to my bed.

"I have a surprise for you." She said and after pressing some buttons, she handed me her cell phone.

I looked at the screen and there was a beautiful woman, very petite with spiky black hair on the screen.

"Hi Bella, I'm Alice nice to finally meet you and you are even prettier than the picture I saw."

I blushed furiously at that compliment.

"Hi Alice and thank you." I said looking between her on the screen and Leah wondering what was going on.

"Okay listen up Bella because we don't have a lot of time, Edward will be here soon but security downstairs will call us when he arrives. So without further ado, "Surprise" she yelled with a lot of other voices in her background, **this** is you and Edward's surprise baby shower and since you cannot come to us we are bringing it to you, via cyberspace. Then more unfamiliar faces started coming on the screen one by one introducing themselves and congratulating me.

"Hey Bella, I'm Jasper Congratulations" he said with a southern drawl, "hey there Bella it's your big brother that you never knew existed Emmett, if Edward gets out of line give me a call and I'll kick his ass for you, congrats." I then saw a perfectly manicured hand hit his head before a beautiful blonde that look like a model came on the screen. "Hello Bella, I'm Rosalie congratulations on the baby", next was a women with blonde hair and sky blue eyes, she was so young and innocent looking, "Hi Bella it's me Tanya, Edward's sister, congrats and I can't wait until you're out" and a young man with russet colored skin and short black hair appeared, "and I'm Jacob, Tanya's fiancé congratulations." my eyes filled up with tears this was all too much and so unbelievable. Leah handed me a tissue and rubbed soothing circles on my back when she saw me getting emotional.

"Hi Bella I'm Edward's cousin Irene, congrats and I'm his other cousin Kate, congrats Bella."

"Thank you so much." I said as the tears began to fall.

"Hi Bella, I'm Carmen Edward's aunt and this is Eleazor his uncle and we are so happy for you two, congrats."

The next face I saw stunned me, because I knew exactly who she was with her piercing green eyes just like her son.

"Hello Bella sweetheart, I am Esme, but you can call me mom if you'd like and this is Carlisle we are Edward's parents, welcome to the family." And the flood gates opened and then Carlisle spoke. "Bella we can't wait to have you home and we will be sure your little guy has all the love he needs while away from you." He said smiling and it was clear that Tanya took after him, blue eyes and all.

Leah handed me more tissue because at this point there was snot and tears.

"Thank you, all of you, I can't believe you guys would do all of this for me and I have nothing to give back. I'm just so…so…grateful…for all of you." I said betweens sobs.

"Oh honey we are not looking for anything back from you, if our Edward loves you than that is good enough for us. You just take care of yourself until your home safe with us." Esme said.

"I will" I said while continuing to wipe my tears.

"He's here; security says he is on his way up!" I heard someone say in the background.

"Okay Bella hang on and we'll be right back." Esme said and disappeared

"Leah, you knew about this all along didn't you?" I asked while waiting for Edward to get to the shower.

"Yes, and I thought I would burst from not being able to tell you, I am so happy for you two, no one deserves this more than you Bella."

"Thank you so much for being an awesome friend Leah." I said as I hugged her.

"Surprise" we heard them yell followed by lots of talking in their background and then I heard the voice that has made my heart skip a beat from the very beginning, my Edward.

"You guys are all liars, meeting my ass; I can't believe you guys did all this."

Alice came back on the screen and put her two fingers to her lips and I nodded.

"Hey Edward come over here for a minute." She said and a few seconds later he came into view looking down at her curiously.

"What's up Alice?" he asked

She pointed toward the screen and when he turned and saw my face his lit up.

"Hi" I said waving.

"Bella" he said more than a little shocked. "How… when…they called you?" he was more confused than anything at how he was talking to me right now.

"No, I called Alice's phone from mine, surprise." Leah said grinning before handing me back the phone

"Aww babe, I wish you could see this, they decorated so nice, here have a look." He said giving me a panoramic view of the room moving Alice's phone around so that I could see the decorations, the gifts and the cake which had a picture of my latest ultrasound picture on it and that started the flood gates again.

"I may have mailed Alice a picture of your ultrasound from two weeks ago." Leah said shrugging and trying to look innocent.

"You are just unbelievable, thank you for everything." I said hugging her again.

"Don't cry love, I will take plenty of pictures and we can start an album and I will ask Leah to take some preggo pictures of you for the album also since I'm not allowed to bring a camera on my visits, okay?"

I nodded my head unable to form any words.

"I hate to do this guys, but we have to wrap up this call, I don't want to push my authority limits too far." Leah said bringing me and Edward back to our reality.

"Everyone Bella has to go say goodbye." Edward said moving the phone back and forwards so I could see them all as they yelled goodbye waving at me and then he was back on the screen.

"Hey, I love you."

"Me too." I said trying not to break down again.

"You'll email me tonight right?" he asked smiling the best he could.

"Yes 9:00pm sharp."

"Alright love, talk to you soon"

"Later" and then he was gone and I broke down crying while Leah held me.

"It's okay honey, let it out." She said rubbing my back while rocking me back and forth.

All those people who knew nothing about me, but had done so much for me; could I really become part of a real family? I was more determined than anything now to get out of here and go home.

**A/N: Okay hope this answers some more questions for you since it's from Bella's point of view. Thanks for the reviews and those who signed up for story favorite or as followers of my story. Please don't forget to leave a review, they are very important to get, thanks.**


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 38**

**Delusional**

**3****rd**** Party POV **

She ruined everything for me and if it's the last thing I do I will make her suffer and pay. He _wanted_ me, he _loved_ me and she just couldn't accept the fact that it was over for them and he no longer wanted to be with her. "Just a couple of more months" he had told me, and he was leaving her so we could finally be together and now she has taken him away from me forever. Who will hold me now and who will love me now, now that she has taken him away. She never understood him like I did, she never cared for him like I did and she certainly never deserved his love like I did and now she thinks this hot shot lawyer is going to save her. He is nothing more than a minor set back, but I will make him suffer too and anyone else who tries to get in my way of getting my revenge on Isabella Swan. She thinks she has it rough now, she has not seen how much I will make her suffer when I take away the two most important people in her life, that baby and Edward Cullen. And then I will have the pleasure of watching the torment she will go through having to live without them all alone, having nothing to live for anymore just like she left me.

That first lawyer she had thought he was going to help her by appealing her case, but I made sure those records were purged from the system, because as far as I am concern she can rot in jail for the rest of her life, but now with this new attorney she has a bit more clout, but I will make her disappear too if necessary. I will get all of them that interfere in this case one way or another, I will pick them off one by one and then finally after all is said and done, I will end Isabella Swan. .DESTROY HER!

**A/N: Just a peek into the mystery lovers mind! Thanks for all the reviews.**


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 39**

**Little Surprises**

**EPOV**

"Hello" I said trying to turn the light on my side table on while answering my cell phone at this wee hour of the night.

"Edward, it's Dr. Clearwater; it's time she is in labor, how long will it take you to get here?"

I shot up trying to gather my wits, because it sound like she said Bella's having the baby.

"Dr. Clearwater, she's going to have the baby?"

"Yes"

"Now?"

"Yes, now get up and get moving I don't know how fast this is going to go. When you get to the gate have them page me at the prison hospital for clearance and a guard will escort you to the labor and delivery ward."

"Alright I am getting up now, tell her to wait for me, ok?"

"You want me to tell a woman having labor pains to wait for you? God you are such a man, just get here as soon as you can Edward." She said before hanging up on me, had I said something wrong?

I jumped out of bed and put on my jeans and an old college sweatshirt from my drawer. I quickly packed an overnight bag for me not knowing how long I would be there in Gig Harbor, and Dr. Clearwater had found a Hilton Hotel only five miles from the prison a couple of weeks ago that I could check into for a couple of days. I packed another bag full of baby blankets, onesies, booties, washcloths, sleepers and mitts for his hands, a baby manicuring set, bibs, cloth diapers, a pacifier, lotion, powder, baby wash, and an infant comb and brush. I would also take three boxes of Huggies diapers and three large bags of Huggies wipes to start her off. Dr. Clearwater would make arrangements for the inspection tomorrow and delivery to Bella.

After placing a call to my driver, I made myself a cup of coffee and a bagel with cream cheese. I quickly washed my face and brushed my teeth before going to sit my bags by the front door for Seth, my armed driver, to carry down to my truck. I called my parents while I waited to let my mom know I would not be in the office for the next couple of days and to tell Alice I would call her later.

"Edward is everything okay?" my mom said answering her cell phone.

"Yes mom everything is fine, Bella is in labor and I am on my way to the prison, can you let Alice, Jasper and Emmett know." I said while getting into the back of my black Land Rover.

"Oh honey, call me as soon as you can to let me know she is okay and give her a kiss and hug from your father and I." she said and I could hear the trembling in her voice, she was excited about becoming a grandmother, even if it wasn't done the traditional way.

"Okay mom I will, love you talk to you soon." I said hitting the end button and looking up at Seth.

"Good morning Seth, we are heading to the prison, Bella's in labor."

"Yes sir, just sit back and relax I will get you there as soon as possible."

Seth had been my driver for seven years now, but before recently, it had only been on an as needed basis. He is now my fulltime driver/bodyguard and accompanies me everywhere and I recently moved him into a condo in my building.

"Thanks Seth I appreciate it."

As we pulled away from the curb, I put my headphones in my ears and listened to my selection of classical music on my IPod, trying to relax and stay calm. I had read a few books and watched a lot of the "Baby Story" episodes on TLC, The Learning Channel, I even sat in on a few Lamaze classes, but I still had no idea what to expect when I got to the prison. I know it's going to be hard to watch Bella suffer through any kind of pain that I cannot stop and I pray her labor would not last too long.

As some point I drifted off to sleep and was awaken when I heard Seth call my name.

"Mr. Cullen, we are about ten minutes from the prison, sir."

"Thanks Seth, when you get to the gate, ask them to page Dr. Clearwater at the prison hospital for clearance."

"Yes sir"

Once we were past the front gate, Seth dropped me off at the entrance door where I was met by two guards and after being searched and walking through the scanner, I was escorted to the labor and delivery ward of the hospital. Dr. Clearwater was waiting as soon as I stepped off the elevator.

"Thank, I'll take him from here." She told the guard who nodded and got back on the elevator to head back downstairs.

"How is she doing?" I asked getting anxious and trying not to get nervous.

"She is actually doing well for this to be her first baby. She has only dilated three centimeters, so we have not given her pain meds yet, but we will soon." She said while leading me down a hall through a set of double doors and then down another hall before we came to a stop outside of a hospital room.

"Okay Edward, a few pointers, don't ask her if it hurts or if she is in pain, that will only get you yelled at. Only talk to her if she is talking to you, because other than that she will not be up for too much conversation. Use the breathing techniques you learned in the Lamaze classes to help her and whatever you do don't panic, because if you panic, so will she, okay?"

I stood frozen wondering could I really do this without screwing up and I took a deep breath before nodding to Dr. Clearwater that I was ready to enter the room.

Bella was lying on her left side with her eyes squeezed shut holding on to the side of her bed rail. Dr. Clearwater walked over and looked at a machine that had paper coming out of it with lines going up and down all over it.

"Bella, it's me Leah and Edward's here sweetheart."

Bella opened her eyes and I was immediately at her side with my hand on top of her hair kissing her forehead that had a light sheen of sweat.

"Hey there love, how are you doing?"

"Edward, it hurts so much…I can't do this." she said sobbing and my heart broke.

"Yes you can, you are one of the strongest people I know and you can make it through this."

"She is getting ready to have a contraction." Dr. Clearwater said and just then Bella started moaning and writhing with pain and I felt so helpless just watching her.

She squeezed my hand and I thought she would break it, but I did not dare to say a word. Once the contraction subsided she released my hand and lay there panting for breath.

"How did you know she was having a contraction?" I asked.

"That's what this machine is printing out and I can tell the intensity of the contraction by how it spikes on this paper and on that monitor up there. I am going to examine her now, so I am going to have you step on the other side of the curtain."

I did as she asked and then I head Bella let out a scream.

"Aaarrggghhh! That hurts!" she yelled out.

"I know I'm almost done Bella." Dr Clearwater said and then after a few minutes she pulled the curtain back open.

"She is about four and a half centimeters, so I am going to get the anesthesiologist up here to administer an epidural for her pain so she can get some rest."

Bella was crying uncontrollably at this point and all I wanted to do was take her pain away.

"Shhh, hold on love they're going to give you pain meds soon." I said trying to soothe her, but probably irritating her more than anything.

I continued to rub her back like I had learned in the Lamaze classes and this seemed to help a little. After about twenty minutes and five to six contractions later, the anesthesiologist arrived to give her that "epi" thingy Dr. Clearwater mentioned for her pain. She had another contraction while he was giving her a shot in her back and then she had one more afterwards, but she said it was mild compared to the earlier ones. After that she could no longer feel her contractions along with her stomach, legs and feet either for that matter.

We sat and talked for a little while and she started to nod off, so I sat back in the chair and let her sleep. It was now almost 9:00am and Bella had been in labor for seven hours. Dr. Clearwater came in to check her again and said she was dilated eight centimeters and that it should not be too much longer.

After two more hours of labor, her cervix had dilated to ten centimeters and she was ready to deliver.

"Edward go tell Leah I need more pain meds NOW!" she said pulling on my arm.

"Okay" and as I turned to the nurse to ask where Dr. Clearwater was at, she came into the room giving orders to her staff in there.

"Is it possible for her to get some more pain medicine, she is very uncomfortable." I said looking at Dr. Clearwater.

"Oh no, there is no time for that this baby is coming now." And after that everything went fast, but in slow motion.

They placed her feet into stirrups and had me on one side of her with one hand behind her back and the other supporting her leg and a nurse on her other side doing the same.

"Okay now Bella the next time you have a contraction I want you to grab the back of your legs, tuck your chin to your chest and push.

Bella began pushing as her contractions came, she also screamed and cried, a lot, and overall, she was just physically exhausted. This routine continued on two or three more times and then I heard Dr. Clearwater say she could see the head and that Bella was doing great. After another few minutes Edwards head was out and Dr. Clearwater quickly used a hand held suction thingy to clean out his mouth and nose before telling Bella to push again about two more times and just like that the rest of his body seemed to just flop out and he was covered in white stuff and blood and he looked slimy and beautiful at the same time. They confirmed it was a baby boy and my little man started wailing as they wrapped him in a blanket and came to lay him on Bella's chest and he instantly quieted down.

I looked at Bella and she had tears running down her face non-stop and as much as I tried not to, a few tears escaped my eyes too, because never in my life had I ever witnessed anything as miraculous as this. I rubbed my index finger over the little patch of hair on Edward's head and then leaned down and kissed Bella's forehead and then his forehead.

"Hi mommy's little man, I love you so much." She said placing a kiss on his cheek.

"We are going to get him cleaned up and weighed in for you mom." One of the nurses said taking him out of Bella's arms and walking over to the other side of the room and I followed to see what they were doing.

"Would you like to cut the cord dad?" another nurse asked.

"Yes I would" and after cutting the cord I sat and watched in awe as they cleaned our little man up and weighed him in and put drops in his eyes and several other things which I have no idea what they were for, but I'm sure they were all part of the standard procedures. He weighed seven pounds and four ounces and was twenty one inches long. They finally wrapped him in a blanket again and put a blue little knit hat on his head and this time they handed him to me. I walked back over to Bella with Edward in my arms and after placing a kiss on his red cheek I placed him back in Bella's arms.

"He is beautiful babe." I said sitting in the chair next to her

"Oh Edward, he is perfect." she said with tears in her eyes and I stood up and kissed her forehead, her cheek and then her lips.

"Yes he is, just like his mother, perfect."

After about another ten minutes, Dr. Clearwater told me that because it was not regular visiting hours that I would not be allowed to stay now that she had delivered, but I could return later that afternoon for another visit. I didn't want to leave Bella or Edward's side, but rules were rules and in this place I had no authority. So I went and checked into the hotel with plans to return to them in a few hours.

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, you guys are awesome as always! Please read and review, see you next chapter.**


	41. Chapter 41

**Special thanks again to Monica Solis "My Banner Girl" for another awesome banner. You can see the banner for chapter 39 (chapter 40 on FanFic) on my FB page Edwardforever Cullen!**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 40**

**More Surprises**

**EPOV**

"Mom, he was born at 11:34am, he weighed seven pounds four ounces and is twenty one inches long and mom I have never seen anything like what I saw today. I mean it was just so incredible to watch this new life come into this world and be just so… so…perfect." I said remembering watching Edward being born.

"Honey we are so happy for you guys and I cannot wait to see him and hold him."

"I am going to ask Dr. Clearwater to take a few pictures with her phone and forward them to me so I can send them to you guys. Mom I can't even begin to describe how I feel right now, but when I saw him, I knew there was nothing in this world I wouldn't do for him"

"Trust me, I know exactly how you feel and there are no words to describe the love." She said and I could hear the smile on face.

"Hey, don't let him run into my living room, I just had that carpet cleaned!" my mom yelled in my ear.

"Mom?"

"Sorry honey, your dad just got back from picking up Duke from your house and the last time he was here he tracked dirt all through my living room."

"Sorry about that mom, I'll pay you back for that." I said feeling bad that my dog was costing them money.

"Oh nonsense honey, dogs will be dogs and the carpet needed to be cleaned anyway." She said dismissing my offer.

"Well mom I'm going to lay down for a few before heading back to the prison, but I will call you later tonight or tomorrow, I love you."

"I love you too honey and kiss Bella and Edward, Jr. for me."

"Will do"

After hanging up with my mom I tried to lay down for an hour or so before heading back to see Bella and Edward, but I was so excited I just could not close my eyes, so instead I showered and ordered room service. Seth was staying in the room next to mine and I made a quick call to him to tell him I would be ready to leave by 2:30pm to go back to the prison for the 3:00pm visitation.

OOOO00000000OOOO

Bella was sleeping when I walked into her room and Edward was lying in a see through hospital baby bed next to hers and when I reached him I saw that he was awake just looking around. He was swaddled in a baby blanket and still had the blue knit hat on his head. After removing my jacket and washing my hands, I picked him up from his bed and sat in the chair next to Bella's bed and started speaking very softly to him.

"Hey there buddy, how are you doing? You are such a good boy, letting your mommy sleep and not making any noise." I whispered to him as I placed a soft kiss on his cheek and loosened up the blanket freeing his arms and legs.

I rocked him back and forth in my arms while still trying to fully believe he is really here and would soon be coming home with me but I have to admit, the thought of Bella having to be away from him was downright painful.

She and Emily had gone before the appeals board last week and presented all new evidence that was never presented or admitted into court. She would not receive their decision for eight to twelve weeks as to whether or not they will reopen this case and once that is approved, she will have to wait anywhere from one to six more months for her court trial. Meanwhile I would bring Edward to see her as often as possible until she was home with us. Rosalie was handling all the necessary documents for my temporary custody, since family practice is what she did in New York before she joined our firm, and then once we were married I could officially adopt him.

Dr. Clearwater came into the room interrupting my thoughts.

"Hi Edward, I came to check on Bella." She said smiling as she walked over to Bella placing her stethoscope in her ears before lifting Bella's covers and placing it on her belly. After checking her stomach, she then examined her legs and feet for swelling and by this time Bella was awake.

"How do you feel Bella feeling her legs and feet?" she asked

"I feel pretty good just tired and a little sore." Bella said in a raspy voice and then her gazed immediately found mine.

"Hi" she said looking very tired.

"Hi babe, you look exhausted are you okay?"

"I know I am extremely tired, I just want to sleep." She said yawning.

"That is perfectly normal after childbirth; your body needs to rejuvenate from being overexerted. It's tough on the body, giving birth to a baby."

Edward started to squirm in my arms so I put him up on my shoulder and when he started involuntarily bobbing his head on my shoulder not able to control his movements, with his mouth open, I knew the cloth diaper lying over my shoulder was not what he was looking for, and the cry he let out a second later confirmed that.

I walked over and placed him in Bella's arms and she lowered one side of her gown exposing her breast and began to feed him. I tried not to stare at her perfectly round breast and I knew that this was not the time or place for sexual thoughts, but at the moment I envied my son. I turned away before she could see me staring and tried not to look awkward seeing that this is the first time I have ever seen Bella in such a revealing way. I tried to think about anything but wrapping my mouth around her nipple and willed my erection to go down.

Dr. Clearwater left and said she would be back in one more time before leaving for the day, leaving just me and a nursing Bella in the room. Bella started talking, but it was really hard to concentrate on what she was saying when all I could think about was her plump breast that I wanted to taste so bad. And just when I thought I might lose it from watching Edward suck on his mom's tit, I saw something that made my breath hitch and caused me to gasp. I had not noticed it before, but now it was like a flashing neon light _"Baby E. Cullen"_ was on the name card taped to the outside of the hospital baby bed. She had given him my last name and I was at a loss for words.

**A/N: Thank you guys for the reviews and alerts, I have crossed over 5oo reviews and I am overwhelmed by this and truly grateful to those supporting me. Hope you enjoy this chapter and our mystery person will be revealed soon.**


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 41**

**Small Packages, Big Gifts**

**EPOV**

I stared at the name card on the outside of the baby bed and could not believe my eyes. Had she really done this for me and what had I done to deserve this honor?

"You gave him my name." I said as I turned to look at her.

She looked up from nursing Edward and met my gaze with a smile.

"It took you long enough to notice." She said returning her gaze to our son so she could switch him from one breast to the other. Geez, how much was he going to drink, because the longer he nursed the hornier I got?

I cleared my throat and discreetly adjusted myself before speaking.

"When did you decide, what changed your mind?" I asked offering her my own smile.

"You changed my mind, with your love for _me_, for _us_." She said nodding her head toward Edward, Jr.

I stood and walked over to her side and took her face between my hands and kissed her lips over and over again.

"I do love you guys more than you could ever imagine, thank you so much." I said while I continued to kiss her lips softly and then Edward let out a cry. We both looked down to see that her nipple had slipped out of his mouth and he was not happy.

"Alright son, calm down I'm sitting back down now." I said placing my hand lightly on his head.

As I looked back up at Bella I noticed she was frowning a little and she looked uncomfortable.

"What's wrong Bella?

"Nursing makes your uterus contract, it's kind of like having bad menstrual cramps." She said as she put Edward over her shoulder to burp him and I noticed he had fallen asleep that fast with his little lips open forming a perfect O.

I cleared my throat again, praying that the next topic I was about to bring up was not pushing my luck too far, but I needed to let her know where I stood, that I was in this for the long haul, that her and Edward, Jr. were it for me.

"You know…I've been um, doing sort of some research I guess you can call it and I recently found out that along with California, Connecticut, Mississippi, New Mexico and New York, the state of Washington is one of six that allows um… conjugal visits also known as Extended Family Visits for inmates with spouses and children."

Bella's head snapped up and she met my gaze with a bemused expression and tilted her head to the side.

"Yes, Edward I'm aware of our state's laws concerning conjugal visits." She said looking away and blushing.

Why is she blushing? Did I say something to embarrass her? We were both quiet for a few minutes or maybe it was only seconds.

"Look Edward, I've never expected you to just wait on me, I realize that you have… needs and it's okay I get it…"

"Bella no… I mean…yes, I do have needs and I am sure it's no different for you, but I am not just talking about our physical needs, love my needs for you go far beyond that. If the state of Washington is going to allow us family bonding time, even if that time is limited, and the only thing stopping us from having that privilege is a piece of paper, then I say…let's get the damn paper." I said, now standing by her side holding her hand.

She slowly turned and looked at me with tears in her eyes and then she looked at our son who was sleeping in her lap and with a trembling voice she spoke.

"So, what are you saying Edward?"

I gave her hand a light squeeze to reassure her before answering her question.

"I'm saying… Marry me Bella." And her tears spilled over as her breathing hitched.

**A/N: Okay here is another short chapter, hope you guys enjoy it! Thank you for the reviews and please continue to leave your thoughts.**


	43. Chapter 43

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward, Bear1867, sexycanI, francesmama, Tulips at Twilight, pinkscoush, Jenn, Handa59, BookHound, acw1, Night script, witchykitty 1313, ducksandruns, crocuslady, chepburn77, mdsngrc, edaddict3254, ILoveFanFiction74, cullengirl08, D-maximum twilight, padme35, mayejrmorris, Momma Laura, Debbie White, it's simply me n you, dckdck422, Joanne10, CaliGirlMon, candy6princess,vvply01, cabal22, 07LSU, animedumplin, e6flores,Flavia Ribeiro, jadedghost22, Sakada, northGAgirl34 & 56 guests for the reviews. Also thank you very much for taking the time to leave me your thoughts and theories, you guys are fantastic! Also thanks again to those who signed up to follow my story, has tagged it as a favorite and signed up for alerts.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 42**

**Commitment**

**EPOV**

Bella looked up at me with tears freely falling down her face nonstop and her expression was that of pure shock, fear, confusion and happiness all in one.

"Bella, say something please." I said becoming more and more nervous as she sat silently gazing at me.

"You want… to marry me?" she asked sounding so unsure of herself.

"Of course I want to marry you Bella, I'd be crazy not to."

"Yes, I'll marry you Edward." She said smiling and crying at the same time.

I gently removed a sleeping Edward, Jr. from her lap and placed him in his baby bed and turned and gave her a proper kiss sliding my tongue over her bottom lip and she allowed me entrance while hungrily kissing me back. I knew this was risky, but for just one moment I needed to feel her in my arms and taste her on my lips and I savored every second of it.

It was her who pulled away and we were both panting for breath as I continued to place soft kisses along her cheek and under her earlobe, eliciting a sweet moan from her.

"We better stop, because my hormones are all over the place and I want you so bad right now." She said breathing heavy while tilting her head back to give me better access to her neck.

"Careful Bella, Talking like that will get you into big trouble and we both know your current condition will not allow you to handle me right now. You have no idea the things I have planned for you when I make love to you for the first time." I said causing her to shiver.

And then that dreaded announcement came over the PA, advising all visitors that visiting hours were ending in ten minutes.

I dropped my head and placed my forehead against hers while closing my eyes.

"I hate this, so much; being away from you is killing me." She said as she started to cry again.

"Hey, don't love, soon we will be free of these restrictions and rules, just promise me you will take good care of yourself and our son until I can."

She nodded while I wiped away her tears and after a few more moments I kissed her and Edward, Jr. goodbye and headed back to my hotel to pack up my things and head home feeling like I was leaving my whole world behind me.

**A/N: Another quick chapter, enjoy and please review, thanks! **


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 43**

**Tampering**

**BPOV**

It's been six weeks since Edward, Jr. was born and I have been moved from a cell to what looks like a bedroom. The prison supplied me with a bed and a dresser for the baby's clothes and Edward had a crib with a mobile, a changing table, a swing, a bouncer, a diaper Genie, and all the supplies I would need on a daily basis to take care of the baby shipped to me. I no longer had to use the community shower because the room in the ward for parents came with a private bathroom for me and the baby. Since I am able to hang decal on the walls, I did my best to make it look like we were not living in prison, but instead a regular room in a regular home.

The schedule in the this ward was a little more lenient due to the unpredictable sleeping patterns of the babies and once your door was closed to your room it practically blocked out all sound. I had my IPod that Edward bought for me loaded with classical and jazz music which I often played for Edward, Jr. to put him to sleep.

Edward's parents and sister, along with Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, had all taken turns coming up with Edward to meet me and the baby and I could not have asked for a more supportive bunch than them; I have truly fallen in love with all of them.

Today is June 6, 2012 and I just received a letter from the appeals board and I was very surprised and nervous about the early response, but when I open the letter it is not a response at all, but instead an automatic denial for an appeal hearing based on not enough information being submitted. According to this letter they have my request for an appeal but no new evidence accompanied it.

My chest tightened and suddenly I couldn't breathe as the shock took over me and the tears started to fall. How could this be when Emily and I went over all the evidence she had found that could be used to request another trial, I just could not understand it.

I immediately requested an emergency call to my attorney and it was granted.

"_Good morning this is Emily."_

"_Emily, it's Bella swan." _I choked out between sobs.

"_Oh my God, Bella are you alright?"_

"_No, no I am not alright, they denied my appeal request saying that there was no new evidence to support It and I have been waiting six weeks thinking that in the next few weeks I would hear some positive news. What happen to all the reports and the signed affidavit from my neighbor Mrs. Weber that was submitted? How could this have happen, Emily?"_

"_I submitted all supporting documents with the appeal request and I have no idea what could have happen, but I will tell you this, I __**will**__ get to the bottom of this because I __**don't **__lose and __**no one**__ fucks with my clients and get away with it. Don't worry Bella, please let me handle this and I promise someone's head will roll for this one!"_

I hung with Emily feeling so hurt and confused and as I looked down at my sleeping son in my arms I began to cry for him, because he deserved better than this life he was born into. How unfair the hand he was dealt. As I walked back to my room I tried to think positive and wanted desperately to believe the conviction in Emily's voice that she would get to the bottom of this and fix it, but until then not knowing where my fate lies is the worst kind of torture.

**A/N: Okay people let me clear up some of your concerns about where this story is going. First of all, I believe in HEA's so please don't let the angst worry you, but keep in mind we are dealing with the US Judicial system and nothing moves fast there, but we will skip ahead sometimes, I will not take you through all the grueling waiting time. For those who wanted to know more info about the baby his full name is Edward Masen Cullen so technically he is not a "Jr." however Bella calls him Jr. and for now "big" Edward follows suit. He was born on April 25, 2012 at 11:34am. Thanks for the reviews and please continue to leave me your thoughts, thanks again.**


	45. Chapter 45

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 44**

**Unwanted Encounters**

**EPOV**

"Duke, come back here boy." I called out to my now almost nine month old dog that was freely running through the park, but because there are kids out here, I do not want him to scare them or their parents for that matter. He was not a small puppy anymore, in fact when on 2 legs he stood almost as tall as me at six feet four inches.

"Come on boy, it's time to go home." I said squatting down to reattach his leash to his collar and then I felt a light touch on my shoulder and heard a very familiar voice.

"Hey Edward, how are you?" Victoria said holding her own all white Bichon Frise in her arms.

"I'm doing good, how are you?" I said standing up straight and turning around to face her.

"When did you get a dog, I don't remember you being a pet person. You were always too much of a neat freak for that." She said nodding towards Duke

"Well, I guess people can change, if they really want to that is." I said politely.

"Well she really is a beautiful dog, a retriever right?"

"It's a he and thank you, yes he's a retriever."

"How old is he?" she said seeming way more interested in my dog than I would deem necessary.

"Nine months." I deadpanned

"Oh well, I've had Hanna here for almost two years now and she is almost fully grown." She said beaming and I couldn't help but wonder what the point to this conversation was.

"That's nice, she's a cute dog." I said not knowing what else I was suppose to say in our "dog talk 101 session"

"Thanks, do you walk err…" she said looking down at Duke.

"Duke, his name is Duke and yes I walk him here often if that is what your question was going to be, I still live around the corner."

"Me too, but I moved around the corner in the opposite direction."

I nodded becoming very uncomfortable with this conversation, because I did not need to know nor did I care to know where Victoria resided.

"Well it's time for me and Duke to head home, take care." I said turning to walk away.

"Edward" she called and I sighed and turned around to look at her.

"Yes Victoria?" I said raising my eyebrows wondering why she would think we had anything to talk about. She was the one who ended the relationship because commitment was not for her; she needed to chase her dreams of becoming the female "Johnnie Cochran" in the criminal defense world and in hindsight I feel no loss.

"I just…I just wanted to say, I'm sorry if I hurt you when we broke up a few years back, it was never my intentions and I hope we can be friends someday." She said and when I looked at her she actually looked like she genuinely meant it.

"Don't worry about it Victoria, I've moved on and I hope you have too." I said trying to make sure she understood I was off limits.

"Actually, I have I am dating a really nice guy who works down at the courts as a clerk and he is in school to become a criminal defense attorney. I started out as just his mentor and things just kind of took off from there. What about you, anyone special who has your heart?"

I cleared my throat and looked around the park trying to decide is I trusted Victoria enough to answer her question honestly before meeting her gaze again.

"Yes, there is someone who has my heart?" I said not offering any more info.

"Well she must be a special one because I know firsthand that's no easy task." She said offering me a small smile and I smiled back politely.

"I really must be going Victoria, I have an important call in about thirty minutes that I need to be home for."

"Sure don't let me hold you, it was nice seeing you again, oh and Edward, I have been doing all I can to stay on top of your friend Isabella Swan's case. I hope everything works out for her, she just can't seem to catch a break." She said and then waved bye.

I stood there for a moment my mind reeling wondering just how much she knew about me and Bella's relationship or did she really think we were "just friends". I decided to not think too much into it and turned to head home.

**A/N: I know short again, but tonight is my grandmother's 94****th**** birthday party and I have to get dressed, just wanted to give you guys a little bit more. Please review and I will try really hard to do another chapter before bed tonight.**


	46. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 45**

**Bad News Travels Fast**

**EPOV**

"Emily, do you think that I'm paying you the obscene amounts of money I am paying you for this bullshit?! I hired you because you are the best and you get results fast and you have never lost a case!" I said pulling at the ends of my hair. I just found out that Bella's appeal had been denied from an email she sent to me this evening.

"Edward, I can assure you that I will get to the bottom of this and I will find out who is behind this if it's the last thing I do. No one has worked on this case outside of Victoria and myself and her involvement has been very limited just like you asked. She drew up the paperwork which I checked over and signed off on and she filed the appeal in court and brought back the stamped copies, with the paid receipt for filing. Now I have sat down and talked to Victoria regarding this case and she has assured me that she would never let anything in her personal life carry over and affect her professional responsibilities."

"I don't give a damn what she assured you and if I find out she had anything to do with this she will not have a professional life anymore because I will ruin her! Now get this fixed NOW Emily!"

"Edward please calm down and let me do my job, I have never left a stone unturned that's what makes me the best and you should know from my track record I know how to get information, I will find out who did this."

I let out a long breath through narrowed lips trying my best to calm down.

"Look Emily, we've been friends a long time now and I know how you work, but this is not just "another case" and Bella is more than just a friend to me, she is my fiancé and you know as well as I know from reading her case she has no business in jail anyway. I have kept this as quiet as possible because I do not want Victoria or anyone from the media possibly finding out, my firm is too high profile for that and they would never leave Bella alone if this leaked out. Now as I told you before, I trust you and your judgment, please don't make me regret that Emily."

"Edward you have my word that this information will go no further than us and as your friend I will protect your privacy, I'll talk to you soon." She said before hanging up.

I grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat on my couch, hoping this splitting headache would go away and then my doorbell rang. I leaned forward putting my face in my hand because the last thing I wanted right now was company. I sat my beer on the coaster on my cocktail table and went over to my intercom.

"Yes" I said with a sigh

"Mr. Cullen, I have four guests down here in the lobby, a Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock, Rosalie and Emmett, shall I send them up or will you be coming down sir?"

"No Vlad, it's fine send them up."

I walked over and opened my front door and went to sit back on my couch and about two minutes later in walked the peanuts gang.

"What's up Eddie? You're getting drunk by yourself?" Emmett said walking through the door followed by the rest.

"My fucking name is not Eddie bitch, and getting drunk sounds so damn appealing right now."

I say before turning up my beer bottle and putting my feet up on my couch.

"I say we go get that bitch Victoria and bound and gag her until she admits she tampered with the paperwork." Alice said walking over and sitting on my chaise lounge.

"I agree with Alice, let's go fuck her up, because she definitely has something to do with this." Rosalie said sitting next Alice.

"I do like a bad ass, that's why I'm so attracted to you; you can "fuck" me up anywhere anytime." Emmett said waggling his eyebrows and Rosalie just rolled her eyes.

"Not so fast ladies, because I'm not convinced that Victoria is the one behind this. I mean true we all know she wants Edward back, but Edward you of all people know when it comes to her career, she doesn't fuck around. I don't see her risking everything she has worked for just to keep you and Bella apart.

"Then who? Who would do this, because all signs points to her especially with her telling me her boyfriend is a court clerk and he is in law school. She made a comment that she is "staying on top" of Bella's case."

"Yeah, but wasn't she the one that found the witness that gave a written statement? She could have simply meant she was still gathering information to help with her case." Jasper said, always the optimistic one.

"She also found that witness before she knew Bella was your friend." Alice pointed out.

Emmett came out of the kitchen with two bottles of beer for him and Jasper and a bottle of wine and two glasses for the ladies and we spent the night trying to put our heads together and figure out what could have happen. But as the night went on and after a case of beer and three bottles of wine, we didn't get much accomplished besides finishing off four pizzas and Alice and Rosalie planning my wedding in their drunken state.

We all woke up Friday morning with hangovers and my mother was not pleased with all of us abandoning the office that day, but since there were no meetings or closings scheduled she understood and as much as I hated to admit it I needed that night with my friends.

"Hey guys, I'm going to order us breakfast, any request?"

"Pancakes" Alice

"Veggie Omelet" Rosalie

"Biscuits and gravy" Emmett

"Bacon, sausage and toast." Jasper

Why did I bother to ask?

"One smorgasbord coming right up!" I said shaking my head at my friends as I got up to answer my cell phone. The caller ID read "unknown caller" and when I answered it was the same distorted voice from before. I snapped my fingers at my friends to tell them to stop talking.

"_Yes this is Edward who is this and what do you want?"_

"_I told you to drop this case. Isabella's paperwork getting lost was just a warning, next time the penalty will be much more severe and I wouldn't temp fate if I were you!" and then they hung up._

**A/N: Enjoy and please review. To answer of Edward requesting Victoria off the case, if you reread chapter 34 he did not request her off but to be watched and have limited involvement.**


	47. Chapter 47

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward, Bear1867, sexycanI, francesmama, Tulips at Twilight, pinkscoush, Jenn, Handa59, BookHound, acw1, Night script, witchykitty 1313, ducksandruns, crocuslady, chepburn77, mdsngrc, edaddict3254, ILoveFanFiction74, cullengirl08, D-maximum twilight, padme35, mayejrmorris, Momma Laura, Debbie White, it's simply me n you, dckdck422, Joanne10, CaliGirlMon, candy6princess,vvply01, cabal22, 07LSU, animedumplin, e6flores,Flavia Ribeiro, jadedghost22, Sakada, northGAgirl34, Isabella Esme Cullen, Isimonb63, psychovampirefreak, ksw3,FranRichards, the love we have, Mari94, power214063, nightdreamz-n-panicattacks, dreamngo4it9, Sakada Eve, michangelina, RPFANN, & 65 guests for the reviews. Also thank you very much for taking the time to leave me your thoughts and theories, you guys are fantastic! Also thanks again to those who signed up to follow my story, has tagged it as a favorite and signed up for alerts.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 46**

**Investigations**

**Emily'sPOV**

I paced the floor in my living room trying to figure out what could have possibly gone wrong with Bella's appeal and how in the world did that paperwork get lost. I've been having Victoria watched by my niece Bree who runs her own private investigation company along side with her twin brother Garrett and she has reported no suspicious activities, in fact outside of work, an occasional run, walking her dog and dinner with her boyfriend, she says Victoria leads a pretty mundane life. I am going to have Garrett do some snooping around to see if he can find out what could have possibly went wrong, because none of this makes any sense right now and in all my years as an attorney I have never had this happen to me or any client of mine.

"Hey Garrett it's your aunt Emily, how are you?"

"Good and how are you and Uncle Sam?

"We are good, you and Bree are going to have to come over for dinner soon."

"Well you know I am always up for a good home cooked meal, especially when you're cooking." He said chuckling.

"On another note, I need a huge favor; do you know any of the guards over at the Washington State Women's Correctional Center in Gig Harbor?"

"I'm a PI Aunt Emily, I know guards at most of the prisons in this area within at least a hundred miles, why what's up."

"I have a very important client who has hired me to represent his friend; I filed an appeal on her behalf and Victoria filed it in court along with new evidence and somehow all the evidence disappeared out of their system and on top of that, my client has received a threatening call from an anonymous person warning him to stop pursuing this case."

"Did he file a police report?" Garrett asked.

"Yes, but they haven't been much help."

"No, they never are in cases like this; do you guys have anyone in mind who you think could have done this?"

"No, but my client use to date Victoria and he is suspicious of her, although I am almost 100% sure she had nothing to do with it because Bree has been keeping tabs on her for me."

"Yeah Bree did mention that to me; why don't you arrange for me to sit down and talk to your client and I will make a call to my buddy Embry, he is one of the Lieutenants at that prison. I will see what he can find out for me. In the mean time I think we should check Victoria's emails and phone logs just to be safe and if we find nothing then fine, but we don't want to have the perpetrator right under our nose and over look them."

"Ok, I'll agree to that, but only the ones from the firm not her personal ones, I refuse to violate her privacy without a proper warrant in place."

"We may not need to go that far, you'll be surprise how many people will use their work phones and emails for personal use."

"Well, as soon as you hear something get back to me right away."

"No problem, have your client call me as soon as possible."

I hung up with Garrett and dialed Edward right away to arrange a meeting, I had to fix this and soon.

**A/N: thank you soooo much for all the reviews last chapter. I know you guys are becoming anxious to know who the mystery person is and that will be revealed very soon and for anyone who has had to deal with the U.S. Judicial system can tell you an appeal process can take forever and a day, but in some cases it can move along at a reasonable time frame if your attorney has the right connections and in this story, Bella's attorney has the right connections, so it won't be long I promise.**


	48. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 46**

**Discoveries**

**GPOV**

The next morning after speaking with my aunt I immediately contacted Embry over at the Women's Correctional Center in Gig Harbor.

"Hello, this is Lieutenant Call how may help you?"

"Embry, it's Garrett how are you buddy?"

"Garrett my man, what's going on? How's life in the PI world treating you?"

"Ah I can complain keeps me busy that's for sure. Hey I need a favor, but I kind of need you to do this one off the records sorta speak, can you meet me tonight for a drink?"

"Sure thing I'm off at seven I can meet you at eight."

"Cool, we can meet at our usual spot, see you then."

After arranging that meeting I called my sister Bree and advised her to pull all of Victoria's emails and phone record for the past six months to investigate her activities. I would also check the sign in logs at the courthouse to make sure she did not have visits there that my aunt is not aware of.

As I prepared to leave my office and head to the courthouse my cell phone rang.

"Garrett speaking"

"Hi Garrett my name is Edward Cullen and I am a client of your aunt Emily, she asked me to give you a call regarding the threatening phone calls I've been receiving."

"Ah, yes Mr. Cullen I have been expecting your call, in fact I am heading out to the courthouse now to check some things out, would you care to join me for lunch afterwards so we can talk?" I asked hoping we could meet right away.

"Sure, what time would you like to meet?"

"It shouldn't take me more than an hour to do what I have to do, so let's say twelve thirty?"

"Sounds good there's a deli on 12th, we can meet there."

"Yeah I know exactly where it is, see you in a bit." I said before ending the call.

I hung up with Mr. Cullen and headed to the courthouse to check their logs and as I suspected, the only visits from Victoria on their books were the two times my aunt sent her to file paperwork for Ms. Swan's case and another client's case.

I arrived at the deli a little after twelve thirty, and as I scanned the restaurant, a man walked up to me with his hand extended.

"Garrett right?"

"Yeah, how did you know it was me?" I asked a little suspicious, which hey what can I say, it's in my nature.

"I recognize you from the photo in Emily's office with your sister. Emily is a very good friend of mine. I have a table over in the corner where we can speak." He said leading the way.

After sitting down I dove right in to my questions.

"So my aunt informed me you received a threatening phone call last week, did you recognize the voice at all?"

"Phone _calls_, I received another one this morning and no, the voice sounds distorted."

"At home or at your office?"

"My cell phone."

"They're calling your cell phone? Well that probably would rule out anyone in the court system they wouldn't have your personal number. How about at the prison, does anyone there other than your friend who is locked up have your cell number?"

"My fiancé."

"Your fiancé, she works at the prison?"

"No."

"No, she doesn't work at the prison?" I asked getting confused, because this was like pulling teeth.

"No, she's not my friend she's my fiancé." He said looking frustrated.

"Ms. Swan is your _fiancé_?" I asked incredulously because I now felt like I was learning the script to a soap opera.

"Okay, let me get this straight, Victoria is your ex girlfriend and…"

"My ex fiancé." He said cutting me off.

"Your ex- fiancé?" I said raising my eyebrows.

"Oookay I stand corrected, your ex- _fiancé_ and she works for my aunt who you have hired to represent your _present_ fiancé, Ms. Swan, who is a prisoner at the Washington State Women's Correctional Center and you have been receiving threatening calls from someone telling you to stop pursuing her case and you don't know from who, but you suspect that it could be your ex fiancé Victoria who just so happens to have a boyfriend who works down at the courthouse as a clerk who files petitions, such as the one filed for Ms. Swan, for a living and you also suspect that she may have tampered with evidence related to Ms. Swan's case or at the very least someone she knows, is that accurate?" I said looking at him with my brow cocked.

"Yes, that's pretty accurate, do you have a problem with that?"

I snapped my head back shocked at his aggressiveness.

"Listen buddy, I could give two shits about your love life, I'm not here to judge you, I'm here to solve a crime, so no, I don't have a problem with your love triangle." I deadpanned.

He sat back in his seat and crossed his hands on the table and I could tell from his demeanor this guy was use to being in control. Just then the waitress came and took our drink orders.

"Look I have a lot invested in this, this is not a game to me, this is my life we are talking about." He said through narrow lips.

"Mr. Cullen, my work is my life and I can assure you no matter what my personal views may be when it comes to my job "games" don't come into play. I take every case very serious, especially those referred to me by my aunt. Now again, I don't know anything about you nor do I care to know more than I have to, but what I do know is if my aunt is summoning my help then that's enough for me to make this case a top priority, am I clear."

"Crystal"

"Good now shall we enjoy our lunch?" I said as I motioned for the waitress to come take our order.

**A/N: We are getting close and your theories are awesome! Please keep them coming because the mystery person will be revealed very soon. Thanks for all the reviews and please continue to leave me your thoughts!**


	49. Chapter 49

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 48**

**Unsolved Mysteries**

**GPOV**

After leaving the set of "One Life To Live" with Mr. Cullen I headed back to the office to finish up some paper work before meeting Embry tonight. Bree called and said that Emily had Victoria in court filing cases all day so that she could look through her emails on her office computer to see if there was anything suspicious. I personally think we are barking up the wrong tree with this one, but better safe than sorry.

Embry pulled up in front of the lounge at exactly eight o clock and we went straight to the bar and ordered our drinks.

"So what's up, what did you need to meet about?" Embry asked taking a sip from his gin and tonic.

"I need for you to do some inside investigating concerning one of the inmates in your facility. Her name is Isabella Swan and my aunt is her attorney. They found new evidence that may clear her name of the charges against her and there was an appeal filed on her behalf by a Victoria Sutherland, an associate attorney at my aunt's firm. Somehow the evidence that was entered went missing and her appeal was denied by the appeal board. I have already check the courthouse and I am investigating some things on my end but I have no way to investigate if this was an inside job at the prison." I said before downing my vodka and cranberry juice.

"So you think an employee of the prison may have done this?"

"Who else would have access to her file, besides the attorneys working the case?"

"Yeah, your right, but it would have to be someone with access to records. I definitely can find out some information and I should be able to get back to you by Monday."

"Great, touch basis with me as soon as you have something."

With that I left the lounge and headed home.

OOOO00000000OOOO

**LPOV**

"What, they denied your appeal, why? I thought the attorneys had enough evidence to get a new trial." I said not believing my ears. How could this happen to Bella, who would want to hurt her like this?

She was crying hysterically in my office holding the baby who was asleep looking like a little prince.

"Bella I am so sorry and I hope your attorney gets to the bottom of this quickly because this makes no damn sense."

"Leah, I don't know what I'm going to do. I only have six more weeks before Jr. has to go with Edward and I was hoping to at least have had a court date set by then and to find out the appeal was denied and we have to start from square one, I just can't. I can't take this anymore, I am losing it Leah." She said sobbing and I felt so helpless looking at this young beautiful woman who had become more than just my patient she was my friend.

"Listen to me, don't you dare give up on yourself, your son or Edward! Okay the appeal was denied so we start again we get it re-filed by your attorney and remain patient and knowing in our hearts in the end the justice will prevail and I will be here to help you every step of the way. But sweetie you have to keep going and make these next six weeks count with your son, don't spend it being depressed because you will regret it once he is gone. Let getting out of here to be with him and Edward be your strength that pushes you, do you hear me?" I said holding her face between my hands and she nodded as the tears fell down her cheeks.

**VPOV**

"Hey honey, what time are you taking lunch? I'm here at the courthouse filing petitions today and thought we could meet up." I said to James my boyfriend.

I was really glad Emily had me filing petitions today it gave me a chance to get out of that office which I had been in all week trying to work on Isabella Swan's case. I was heartbroken after reading her file and finding out why she was in prison, no woman should have to go through what she has been through and after finding out she was Edward's friend, I was even more determined to help her because he is a really good guy.

We were engaged a few years back and at the time I was not mature enough to see what I had and I let fear of commitment run me away, but I really regret hurting him and hope for nothing but the best for him. I was fortunate to get blessed with another great boyfriend and I intend to stick this one out, because he has already won my heart.

"That's fine, I will be taking lunch in about five minutes, how about I meet you downstairs in the lobby?" he said breaking through my thoughts.

I grabbed my papers, put them in my briefcase and headed down to the lobby to meet James for lunch.

**JamesPOV**

I was so glad Victoria's boss finally gave her some time out of the office, because lately I have had no time with her. Between my work schedule and her working late hours on some case she says is very important to her boss, I've only seen her one time this week and that just won't do. We have been dating now for seven months and I know that I have found my soul mate; I just hope and pray she feels the same way because I have every intention on asking her to marry me this weekend.

"Hello beautiful, how are you?" I said planting a kiss on her lips which made her smile and I loved to see her smile.

"Hey yourself handsome"

"Are you ready to eat?" I asked placing my hand on the small of her back

"Yes, I am starving and I need to sit down my feet are killing me in these heels."

"I will rub them for you tonight and make them all better." I said as I guided her out the door to head to lunch.

**BreePOV**

"Hey Garrett, I checked all of Victoria's emails and found nothing and Emily's IT department is still pulling the phone logs they said they will have them by Monday morning." I told my brother wondering why my aunt had us working on this dead end case.

I had already been following her around for the past almost two weeks and I told my aunt she's does nothing and she goes nowhere. Following her around has been like watching paint dry and I could be working much bigger cases than this.

"I didn't think you would find anything but I still wanted to check just in case."

"Garrett what exactly does aunt Emily think we are going to find? This woman's life is the epitome of boring." I said hoping he would tell me I could stop watching her.

"I know sis and you shouldn't have to follow her too much longer."

"Well I certainly hope not Garrett this was not my idea of the kind of cases I would be working when I agreed to assist you."

I hung up the phone and headed toward the courthouse so I could watch more paint dry.

**A/N: I was planning to make this chapter the one that revealed the mystery person, but I will have to do it next chapter, but at least this gave you guys a process of elimination! Please read and review, thanks.**


	50. Chapter 50

**I would like to say congrats to Monica˜ aka˜ CaliGirlMon˜ aka˜ "My Banner Girl" for being the first and the only one to figure out the mystery person, well done sweetie!**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 49**

**Revelations**

**EPOV**

"Edward thank you so much for bringing a copy of the police report to us, I will have Victoria drop this off to the warden's office while I meet with Bella. My nephew is still working on finding out who placed those calls to you too." Emily said in an apologetic voice.

It was now Monday morning and Emily would be looking into getting Bella's appeal filed again and was hoping she can get it expedited under the circumstances of the files being tampered with.

"No problem, I know you are doing what you can, but please keep an eye on Victoria. I know you've been careful with her but I just cannot afford anymore mishaps."

I left Emily's office and headed over to mine to catch up on files I had neglected since last week and to attend our semi -annual meeting with all the associate attorneys in the Seattle office to discuss business strategies for their particular departments and to go over the revenue brought in by each department.

As I exited the elevator my mother made a beeline straight to me and she did not look happy.

"Why didn't you tell me about Bella's appeal being denied and that someone has been threatening you, Edward?!" she said as she followed me into my office and I closed the door once she was inside.

"Mom, would you please lower your voice and I did not tell you because I didn't want you…"

"Don't you dare say because you didn't want me to worry, I am not made of glass or some fragile person that can't take bad news! We love her just as much as you do and her appeal being denied affects all of us Edward!" she said fuming.

"Mom calm down please, we are working on getting her appealed filed again and trying to get it expedited."

"Well what the hell happen and what is this about threatening phones? You know your dad is _furious_ with you for not mentioning this to us and he is on his way here now."

Oh great, just what I need a lecture at this time of the morning. I hope this doesn't carry over into my emailing time with Bella, because I would hate to have to kick my own parents out of my office.

**Emily'sPOV**

"Okay Victoria when we get to the prison while I am meeting with Bella, you go and take a copy of the police report to the warden and find out what can be done about expediting her appeal process under the circumstances. I spoke with an inspector over at the police department and he has agreed to provide us with the evidence again of the missing police reports and Mrs. Weber agreed to write another statement since the appeal board wants all originals, but it will take about a week to get all that together. Let her know we will submit it all as soon as possible, but that we could use her help to push things along faster and hopefully she will help us." I said praying that the warden would have some sympathy on Bella and help us get this appeal moved along quickly.

"Will do, I've met her a few times before when my father was still practicing law and she seemed very nice and I'm sure she will remember me." She said smiling.

Victoria really was a fine attorney and a wonderful person to be around, I just wish Edward was not so skeptical of her, because I would have given her this case as her own if it weren't for his disapproval.

We arrived at the prison shortly after Noon and Victoria and I went our separate ways to take care of our separate business.

**VPOV**

I knocked on the warden's office door praying she remembers me and hoping that will buy me favor with this case.

"Come in" she said from behind the door and I took a deep breath, put a pleasant smile on my face and proceeded in to her office. She was sitting behind her big cherry wood desk in a black leather chair. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun and she was wearing a navy blue pant suit and crisp white blouse. She has ruby red lipstick on her lips and enough eye shadow on to repaint the room.

"Good morning warden I am Victoria Sutherland you spoke to my boss Emily Uley this morning."

"Yes I did, how are you? Have a seat and please call me Jane, would you like something to drink, I have bottled water?"

"Sure, thank you" I said happy that she remembered Emily.

"Sutherland, would you happen to be related to Peter Sutherland?"

"Yes, yes I am he is my father. I met you a few years back when I was first starting law school at the pic…"

"The charity picnic for Heart Disease, I remember you, it's great to see you again." She said cutting me off and I was elated that she remembered who I was.

"Yes that's right my father is the president of that charity committee."

"That's what I always loved about Peter, he always gave back. How long have you worked for Emily Uley?"

"About six months now."

"That's great I know your father must be proud of you." She said smiling while leaning back in her seat opening her own bottle of water.

"Yes he is."

"You were bringing a police report to me regarding one of my inmates correct?"

"Yes I have it in my brief case and I was also hoping to speak with you about an appeal process that went wrong. I filed an appeal on behalf of one of our clients and submitted all new evidence including proof that police reports had not been properly filed and a written statement from a witness of her accounts. After six weeks of thinking we were close to getting another trial date our client received a letter from the appeals board stating that her appeal had been denied due to no supporting evidence and when we asked for the system to be checked all documents had disappeared, including the hardcopies."

"I see, well that's not acceptable."

"No not at all and we are hoping if we resubmit all the necessary documents, that you can help expedite this appeal process under the circumstances. Jane I know this is asking a lot, but we don't know what else to do." I said pleading with her to help us.

"Well certainly, I will look into it and do my best to help you guys out, we don't want inmates not getting their due process. Make sure you bring all the paperwork directly to me and I will handle it from there" she said offering a polite smile and I was so happy she was willing to do this for us. I couldn't wait to tell Emily the good news.

I stood to leave her office and extended my hand to thank her before turning to leave her office. As I reached the door I turned to thank her again.

"I can't tell you how much Emily and I appreciate you helping us."

"Oh, no need to thank me and don't forget to leave the police report for me to put in Ms. Swan's file. Isabella Swan has been through the ringer, I certainly would hate to think of her having anymore hardship."

I abruptly stopped and stilled my hand that was inside of my briefcase searching for the police report and snapped my head up to look at Jane.

"What did you just say?" I asked her praying I had heard her wrong.

"I said Isabella Swan has had enough hardship and I…"

"I never told you my client's name and I certainly didn't mention who file this police report was for. Neither did Emily because I was in her office when she called you this morning." I said looking at her through narrowed eyes.

"Excuse me?" she said looking surprised and caught off guard.

I turned my body around to face her and repeated myself louder.

"I said, I never told you my client's name. How did you know I was talking about Isabella Swan with the hundreds of appeals that get filed in your prison through the appeals board and the fact the she is not our only client here, how the hell would you know that I was referring to _her_!"

All the blood drained from Jane's face and she became paler which I didn't think was even possible. She stood slowly from her desk, walked around to the front and leaned back against it with her hands folded in front of her.

"Well, Victoria it seems that we have a little bit of a situation here, but I am a reasonable woman and you seem like a very smart girl yourself. With that being said I think we could help each other."

"Oh yeah how so Jane, what could you possibly do for help me?"

"Your firm has several clients in this prison some of which you are filing appeals for to try to get a lesser sentence or a new ruling all together. You give me this one with Isabella Swan, drop the case and allow me to destroy the evidence and I will make sure all of your future clients get their appeals turned into new trials and in record time and your firm will be known as the best criminal defense firm not only in Seattle, but in the entire state of Washington, deal?"

"You know Jane, your offer is very tempting, unbelievable even. I mean what new associate attorney like myself, wouldn't want the chance to turbo boost their career with a perfect conviction turnover record? But there's one problem with your plan."

"Oh and what would that be, I'm sure whatever it is we can fix." She said with a mischievous grin.

"It's your mouth." I said pulling the small tape recorder out of my brief case that I always carried with me for recording witnesses and client's testimonies and statements.

Jane's mouth fell open and she turned red in the face before charging at me.

"You listen to me you little _bitch_, you do not want to _fuck_ with me or the only place you will be practicing law is in some small little town far away from here, where you could only pray they don't know your name or anything about you when I get through with your career." She said chest heaving and her face only inches from mine.

"And you've got forty eight hours to turn yourself in or I will have you and this facility tied up in so much litigation your great grandchildren will need lawyers! Oh and by the way Jane, we already are the best criminal defense law firm in the state of Washington and beyond!" I said before turning on my heels and leaving her office headed to find Emily so we could prepare to get our client out of here.

**A/N: There you have it folks, Jane Volturi is the culprit! Thanks for sticking that one out with me and now it's time to get Bella home with Edward! Please leave a review, because I love them!**


	51. Chapter 51

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward, Bear1867, sexycanI, francesmama, Tulips at Twilight, pinkscoush, Jenn, Handa59, BookHound, acw1, Night script, witchykitty 1313, ducksandruns, crocuslady, chepburn77, mdsngrc, edaddict3254, ILoveFanFiction74, cullengirl08, D-maximum twilight, padme35, mayejrmorris, Momma Laura, Debbie White, it's simply me n you, dckdck422, Joanne10, CaliGirlMon, candy6princess,vvply01, cabal22, 07LSU, animedumplin, e6flores,Flavia Ribeiro, jadedghost22, Sakada, northGAgirl34, Isabella Esme Cullen, Isimonb63, psychovampirefreak, ksw3,FranRichards, the love we have, Mari94, power214063, nightdreamz-n-panicattacks, dreamngo4it9, Sakada Eve, michangelina, RPFANN, LunaKaleidoscope, Heather Grey, blkbttrfly, Mandita 93, MasenMarieCarlie, KRmahal, Vane3131, Bubbleybear, saintfudge, satakshipari, michiee.x.x & 76 guests for the reviews. Also thank you very much for taking the time to leave me your thoughts and theories, you guys are fantastic! Also thanks again to those who signed up to follow my story, has tagged it as a favorite and signed up for alerts.**

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 50**

**Misunderstandings**

**BPOV**

"Bella, I can assure you that I am doing everything in my power to get to the bottom of this and I have even hired my nephew who is a PI to investigate this for me. Whoever is behind this will pay severely, I promise you that."

Emily said as I sat back making sure I was not indecently exposed as I breast fed Jr. as much as I wanted to believe her, there was this nagging voice in the back of my head telling me that somewhere deep inside I always knew this was too good to be true.

"Emily, I trust you because Edward trusts you, so with that being said be honest and give me the worst case scenario." I said not sure if I really was ready to hear this.

"Bella, let's not jump ahead of ourselves here and think the worse. There are a lot of different factors to consider here. For one we are going to try to get the charges overturned to self defense, if that is not granted then we can try for early parole as to not separate you and the baby, even if it means house arrest. If none of those things are granted, we would then ask for a shorter sentence based off of proof of domestic abuse which will probably get your sentence cut in half if not more and we can ask for outpatient psychiatric treatment as part of the sentencing."

I sat and let Emily's words sink in while trying to think optimistically, when suddenly the door to the private visitation room we were in opened and in walked a prison guard escorting a beautiful woman, with fiery red curly hair and ocean blue eyes. She was dressed impeccably in her charcoal gray skirt and jacket, with thin light blue pinstripes and a matching light blue silk blouse. she wore sheer gray hosiery with matching charcoal gray shoes with at least a four inch heal which made her look very tall. She had a figure that could rival Beyonce's perfect shape and I instantly felt inadequate in my prison apparel.

"Emily I am so sorry to interrupt you, but we have to talk now!" she said looking quite upset.

"Victoria, can't it wait, I'm in the middle of an important visit with my client?"

"This is about _her_ err…. Ms. Swan's case and no it absolutely can't wait."

"My case, what about my case and who are you?" I said placing Jr. over my shoulder to burp him.

"I'm sorry Bella this is one of my associate attorneys who has been assisting me on your case." Emily said with a nervous smile.

"Oh hello, I'm Isabella Swan nice to meet you." I said extending a hand while holding Jr. with the other arm.

"Hi I'm Victoria Sutherland, nice to meet you also." She said briefly shaking my hand and then the name hit me.

"Emily there has been a new discovery to this case that has definitely turned the table in our favor." She said looking at Emily.

But I was still stuck on the name, Victoria Sutherland; I had heard this name enough from Edward to know who she was. Her father use to practice law and was friends with Edward and Jasper's fathers.

"Peter Sutherland is your father?" it came out more as a statement than a question.

"Yes he is, do you know him?" she said looking caught off guard.

I shook my head as one traitorous tear rolled down my face. This was Edward's ex fiancé standing in front of me and as that realization hit me I felt all the wind leave my body.

Why would she be working on my case and why would Edward not tell me about her, unless they…oh no … is he still seeing her possibly? Is she the reason my case has taken such a nosedive? How could he betray me like this? How could he betray _us_ like this I thought as I looked down at who he said was _our _son. Was all this an act? Was he just being kind to me and really had no plans to ever really have a real future with me? How could I have misread this situation between us so wrong, but he said he loved me and he wanted to marry me, right? I gave our son _his_ name because I truly believed we would be a family. This was all too much, my head started spinning and suddenly I felt faint, the room became smaller and a lot warmer before everything went black.

**A/N: I know it's short, but you will get one maybe even two more updates today. I am working on them now. Please leave me your thoughts, thanks.**

**Rec Time:**

_**Fool For You**__**by: CaliGirlMon ~This is a new intriguing love story that will have you wanting to read more!**_

_**Summary reads:**_ _**Best friends. A boy lost in his addiction, a girl lost to her heart, losing themselves along the way, in time they find themselves on a journey back to each other.**_


	52. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Chapter 51**

**Clearing The Air**

**BPOV**

I woke up to the most annoying beeping noise and as I struggled to open my eyes, I saw Leah standing writing on a chart.

"Leah, what happen? Where's Edward, Jr.?" I said as panic set in.

"You passed out while visiting with your attorneys and Jr. is fine, I signed him into the nursery for the night. I was waiting for you to wake up before I brought him in." she said looking back down at the chart and then the memories from my visit with Emily came crashing back down. Victoria, Edward's ex fiancé was there looking like a supermodel and just like that the tears came.

"I think Edward has lost interest in me, Leah." I said sobbing expecting her to comfort me like she always does.

But when I looked up she was just staring at me with a blank expression.

"Are you done?" her reaction took me by surprise and I couldn't help but wonder why she was acting so cold.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused by her words.

"I mean are you done crying and feeling sorry for yourself, because if you are then we can talk."

I quickly dried my face and held back my sobs nodding at her to let her know that I wanted to talk. She came and took a seat right next to my hospital bed and sat her pen and chart down on my side table.

"Bella, from the moment you came here you have touched my heart in more ways than you could know and I truly consider you to be my friend, but girl you are just being plain stupid right now. First of all, Edward loves you and his son more than anything in this world and even a half blind fool could see that. Second of all, yes Edward should have told you about Victoria working on your case considering their history, but if you trust him like you say you do, then trust that he would never do anything that is not in your best interest. Now I don't know all the details because I only got snippets of the conversation that took place between your attorneys and the Deputy Warden which by the way is my mom, Sue Clearwater, but it sounds like this Victoria that you are so worried about has played a key role in possibly getting you out of here and you have been placed under extra security for the next seventy two hours by orders of the Deputy and Associate Wardens. And Bella trust me when I say, my mother will handle this quickly and appropriately, because she has been trying to prove that Jane Volturi is corrupt for years."

"Wait, what are you talking about Leah and you never told me your mother was the Deputy Warden here?" I said feeling like I had just woke up into a dream.

"Well you never asked and that's beside the point. Look Edward will be here at three o clock for his usual Friday visit and he will explain everything that is going on to you, in the mean time I have to make sure your vitals are under control and that you are getting plenty of rest. Just trust me on this sweetie you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Edward is not thinking about his ex, he is 100% team Bella." She said giving me a reassuring smile before giving me a hug and leaving me with my thoughts.

I looked at the clock and it was two fifteen so I decided to try and take a quick nap before Edward arrived to calm my nerves.

**EPOV**

While driving to the prison for my Friday visit with Bella and my son I received a call from Emily and I prayed she had good news from her visit today.

"Emily, please tell me you have some good news for me." I said after hitting the talk key on my cell phone.

"Edward I have excellent news and some not so pleasant news."

"What's the not so pleasant news?" I asked hoping it did not have anything to do with Bella not getting out.

"Bella and Victoria met today and Bella did not take it so well. She knew who Victoria was and she was so overwhelmed she passed out and is now in the prison hospital, but she is okay?"

"What?! What do you mean Victoria and Bella met? How the fuck would that even happen when I specifically told you that Victoria was not allowed to do any visits with Bella and I swear Emily you had better have a good explanation for this one." I said as rage took over me and I sped up on the highway trying to hurry and get to Bella.

"Edward, their meeting was by pure accident, but very necessary under the circumstances. Victoria found out today why Bella's appeal was denied and even got this person on tape admitting guilt to tampering with her case. It was the Warden Edward, Jane Volturi, she was behind the evidence disappearing and the appeal being denied." She said and I was stunned silent.

The Warden? Why would the Warden tamper with evidence for Bella's case? This is not making sense, unless that was who Bella's ex husband was having an affair with, which would also explain the phone calls and her having my cell number.. Emily went on to explain to me the events that had taken place from their time of arrival at the prison up until Bella became so overwhelmed and upset with the knowledge of who Victoria was to me, that she lost it. But if I am being honest and I never thought I would ever hear myself say this, I could not be more grateful for Victoria working on Bella's case; she has truly made me regret every bad thought I had about her.

I apologized to Emily for blowing up on her and thanked Victoria for her outstanding and witty work on this case, before hanging up and dialing Dr. Clearwater.

"Leah Clearwater, how my I help you?" she said answering her cell.

"Dr. Clearwater it's Edward, is Bella okay?"

"Hello to you too Edward and yes Bella is fine and so is your son, they are both sleeping." She said with amusement in her voice.

"I will be there for my usual visit in a little over an hour ok?" I said feeling anxious to be with Bella now.

"Okay, I will let Bella know, I am on my way to check on her now." She said before hanging up.

OOOO00000000OOOO

When I walked into Bella's room she was sleeping but Jr. was wide awake in his baby bed and when I picked him up I swear it felt as if he had gained a couple of pounds within a week.

"Hey there daddy's little prince" I said as I cradled him close to my chest. He yawned and then smiled while making cooing sounds and I nuzzled his nose with mine and was rewarded with a tiny fist to my eye and another smile. He had not learned yet to control his movements.

"Daddy's been reading about your growing stages and I read that you like to hear me and mommy's voice, so let's talk son." I said taking a seat by the window trying to not disturb Bella.

Jr. looked at me with his bright gray eyes, which I assumed he got from the sperm donor, but that's okay I loved looking into them anyway, and he continued to make cute cooing sounds.

"You know I love you and mommy very much and I want to marry her, is that okay with you? Because I very much want to be around to see you take your first step, and hear your first words and walk you to school on your first day, and teach you how to catch a baseball. What's that you say, you're going to play basketball? Okay daddy can teach you how to hoop too buddy. And then when you start liking girls I can teach you how they want to treated, because that can get tricky sometimes son." I said placing soft kisses on his forehead and then he stuffed his tiny fist in his mouth sucking on it and started to fuss letting me know he was hungry.

I walked over and placed a few gentle kisses on Bella's forehead and cheek before her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey beautiful." I said as she sat up in the bed.

"Hey, how long have you been here?" she asked as she stretched and got comfortable.

"Not long no more than ten minutes, but he is starting to fuss I think he's hungry." I said passing Jr. to her and taking a seat right next to her bed.

As she started nursing him, we sat in an uncomfortable silence which is not like us at all. Finally I got up the courage to break it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

"What exactly did I find out Edward?"

"About Victoria."

"So, it's true, you are back with her."

"What?! God no Bella, why would you even think something like that?" I asked shocked at her question. Did she not know that I was not capable of falling in love with anyone else at this point, that no one else has a chance at my heart because she and Jr. own all of it?

"Well because, look at her she's beautiful Edward and smart and you're both attorneys and she has so much more to offer than me."

"You're right, she is beautiful, smart, very independent and has a lot to offer the right guy, but love that guy _was_ never and _will _never be me. I want you, I want us and no one else.

"Why did you lie to me Edward?" she asked not meeting my gaze.

"I didn't lie Bella, I… omitted, which I know I should not have kept that from you, but please trust me and know that I was always watching what was going on and believe it or not if it had not been for Victoria on this case, I would not have this good news to tell you." I said smiling at her.

"Sooo, is this the part where I go berserk for you "omitting" the fact that your ex is one of my attorneys, like you did on me?"

I hung my head knowing she was right and having no defense or argument.

"Yeah I guess it is, but can I say one thing? I know and acknowledge I was wrong, but my omission could do nothing more than hurt your feelings and make you angry, however your omission could have taken you away from me and that my love I could not have lived with."

"What's the good news?" she said smirking at me and just like that we were back to normal, back to being a family. She burped Jr. and then passed him back to me and shockingly he stayed up awhile as I told Bella Victorias discovery and the fact that she got it on tape.

Emily had immediately alerted the Deputy Warden, which I found out today is Dr. Clearwater's mother, of what Victoria found out instead of giving the Warden the forty eight hours Victoria had originally told her to turn herself in. The Deputy Warden and the Associate Warden upon hearing the recording then exercised their authority under the law to suspend the Warden from her position pending an immediate investigation of her and any possible involved parties at the prison. She also promised to re-admit the evidence for Bella's case right away and to expedite her appeal hearing so that we can get a new trial as soon as possible. If all goes as planned, Bella could have a new trial set within the next four to six weeks and be home in the next two to three months.

"I can't believe it, this is actually going to happen." She said laughing and crying at the same time. "I feel like such a fool for behaving that way in front of Victoria when she was only trying to help me."

"She understands and she never meant to upset you, she feels bad and she apologizes as do I for not telling you, I'll never do that again, I promise."

She nodded her head while the tears continued to fall and after comforting her, we spent the rest of our visit playing with Jr. until he fell asleep on us and then we just enjoyed each other's company.

**A/N: Okay here is another chapter and it's a little longer. I will try to get one more up tonight, but in the meanwhile please read and review, thanks again!**


	53. Chapter 53

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Beta'd by the awesome, princess07890!**

**Chapter 52**

**Letting Go**

**EPOV**

Today, my son comes home to live with me; this is both one of the happiest and saddest days of my life. It's the happiest, because I can properly care for and provide for my son's wellbeing as well as spoil him and spend time with him without someone telling me my time is up. But, it's also the saddest, because this will be the hardest thing Bella has ever had to do; separate from our son. She had spent our visit together last week mostly in tears, knowing that her time with him staying with her, had to come to an end, at least until she is out of prison.

All of the furniture that I purchased for the room her and Junior stayed in I had shipped it all to my house and would put it all in my storage space. Everything he is going to need is already in his room; mom and Alice decorated and stocked it with every baby accessory imaginable. After this weekend, Bella would be moved back to a cell and this transition, along with being without our son, would be especially hard on her. For this reason, Dr. Clearwater had set Bella up for some counseling sessions with the prison life counselor, to help her cope.

"Are you ready honey?" Mom said, bringing me out of my reverie. She and dad came over early this morning, because mom was making the trip with me to pick up Edward Jr. Dad insisted on making sure the car seat was properly put into my truck. He had just finished checking.

"Ready as I'll ever be; thanks, dad, for checking the car seat for me." I said; trying to push the nerves down, but my mom could see right through me.

"Son, I know you are nervous and scared, but everything will be okay. Before you know it, Bella will be home too." She said, placing her hand on my cheek

"Okay, let's get this show on the road, because we need to be there by nine o clock." I said; grabbing the diaper bag my mom had packed for the trip back home.

Once we arrived at the prison and were checked in, we spent the day there in a prison owned apartment reserved for conjugal visits. These apartments were usually used for married couples only, but under the circumstances of me taking temporary custody of Edward, Jr., the Deputy Warden allowed it for this visit. This allowed us to spend time as a family outside of the prison setting. Bella spent the entire visit just holding Edward, Jr., even as he slept. She had spent the last couple of days expressing her breast milk and freezing it for me to take home. Dr. Clearwater would continue to allow her to express her breast milk and she would store it in the freezer for me to pick up on my Friday visits.

"He likes to listen to your heartbeat; it calms him and helps to put him to sleep." Bella said, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Okay babe, I'll make sure to remember that. Anything else, love?"

I had read enough books and talked to Dr. Clearwater a lot, so most of the things Bella told me, I already knew, but I didn't stop her.

"At night, he loves when I gently rub the top of his head and when I sing to him." She said, rocking a sleeping junior.

"Are you worried about me caring for him?"

"I'm worried about you getting overwhelmed being a parent for the first time."

"But so are you, Bella."

"It's different; I bonded with him long before he entered this world. Things just came natural for me." She said shrugging.

"Well, I have mom, Tanya, and Alice to help me out and I have taken a leave from work for the next two months. I will only go into the office if absolutely necessary, but I will spend 95% of my time with Junior."

Bella passed our son to me and excused herself to the bathroom and I walked into the kitchen to see what my mom was fixing. She had brought some groceries since we knew there would be a kitchen. She kept it very simple and made some tacos and had brought all the condiments we would need.

"The tacos are almost done and I'll take my grandson while you guys eat." She said, as she walked up and placed a kiss on his forehead. He just lay in my arms with one arm hanging down and his little mouth wide open as he slept.

"Thanks, mom, they smell delicious; I'm sure Bella will appreciate this." I said, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Speaking of Bella, she's been in that bathroom a long time; you should go check on her." Mom said, taking Junior. from my arms.

I knocked on the bathroom door, but Bella did not answer, so I knocked again. When she did not answer the second time, I opened the door slowly and what I saw broke my heart. Bella was sitting on the closed lid of the toilet; tears streaked on her face, her arms wrapped around herself as she rocked back and forth. She was desperately trying to hold it together and failing miserably.

"Bella, oh baby, I'm so sorry." I said, kneeling down in front of her.

"Edward, this is so hard, I need him; he is the reason I get up and keep fighting every day."

"Let him continue to be the reason, because you have to get home to him. We need you just as much as you need us. We will be here every Friday to see you, no matter what." I said, pulling her against my chest and rocking her back and forth.

We were silent; I just held her and allowed her to sob and let it all out. After a few more moments, her crying subsided and, when I pulled back, she gave me a small smile.

"I can do this, I _will_ do this." Bella said, and her face showed her new determination.

"You, me…this family, we are survivors and nothing will stop us." I said, leaning my forehead against hers and looking into her eyes. She nodded and I placed a soft kiss on her nose and then her lips.

"I'm hungry." She whispered as I pulled away

"Mom made us some tacos, and let me tell you, they're delicious. They were one of my favorite as a kid."

I helped her stand and she asked me to allow her to clean her face before eating, so I left her to it.

As I entered the small kitchen, my mother looked up at me with a worried expression while holding Junior. on her shoulder.

"Is he still sleeping?" I asked as I took my seat at the small table.

"Yes, he stirred a little, but he is still resting. Is she okay?" My mom asked pointing her chin towards the bathroom door.

"She will be; she's stronger than she thinks she is; we will be okay." I said, crossing my arms on the table.

Bella came out of the bathroom and sat down at the table and my mother placed Junior. in her arms.

"Bella, how many tacos would you like sweetheart?" My mother asked, as she made her way back to the counter.

"Two please, I heard they're the best and that I'm in for a treat."

My mother laughed and looked over at me.

"I don't know about the best, you may have received a biased opinion, but I'll let you be the judge." She said, with a smile.

"Trust me; they're mouth- watering good." I said, winking at my mother.

After our lunch, which, by the way, ended with Bella eating four tacos and trying to make room for a fifth, we spent more time together as a family and at 6 p.m. the visit came to an end. This was the moment I think we all were dreading.

Prison rules required Bella to be escorted back to her room first and then we would be escorted back to the exit to leave.

"We'll be home in a little over an hour, you'll email at nine, right?" I asked, and Bella nodded as she placed kisses on Junior's face.

She looked up at me with a smile and handed him over to me.

"Take care of our baby, Edward, and I'll be home soon." She said while placing one more kiss on his forehead and, at that moment, he chose to softly sigh and smile in his sleep.

She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes.

"You'll be okay, right?" She asked, still smiling.

"I should be asking you that question." I said, raising a brow.

"I'll be fine; he's with you and your wonderful family, so I'll be fine."

"_Our_ wonderful family, you're stuck with us now, no turning back, babe." I said as I leaned down and kissed her lips.

Bella gave my mom a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek and my mother let a few tears of her own fall. She then took Junior so that I could give Bella a proper hug and kiss and then, she was gone. I stood at the window and watched as they escorted her across the field and back into the prison. Once she was no longer in my sight, I turned to my mother, who was holding my son close to her chest, staring at me.

"Are you ready?" I asked and she nodded, still trying to fight back tears of her own.

My mother had come to love Bella like her own daughter and this was just as hard for her as it was for me.

"Yes, let's my get my grandson home."

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post another chapter; very busy week for me and my beta. Please read and review, I love to hear your thoughts. Special thanks to Jasper's Woman, for being a listening ear when I needed it, love you woman!**


	54. Chapter 54

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Once again, a special thank you to princess07890 for being the incredible beta that she is!**

**Chapter 53**

**Fatherhood and Fantasies**

**EPOV**

We arrived home shortly after seven and everyone had come over to help out with Junior's first night at home. Rose, Tanya, and Alice had cooked tilapia, garlic mashed potatoes, seasoned green beans, and a Caesar salad. For dessert, my dad had made his specialty, chocolate cake, because it's my favorite. Jasper bought a couple of bottles of red wine to celebrate Junior coming home with a toast, and Emmett brought his appetite.

"Edward, I'm going to put the bags of breast milk in the freezer and I'll leave two in the refrigerator; one for tonight and one for tomorrow morning."

"Thanks mom." I said, as I placed a sleeping Junior in his bassinet, which Emmett had rolled from my bedroom to the living room.

After changing my clothes, I sat down with my family in my dining room to eat. The conversation flowed freely and I smiled and nodded when appropriate, but, truth be told, I was exhausted, mentally and physically. I was worried about Bella; I could not get my mind off of her and I was scared to death of being alone with my son tonight. I had anticipated this day for a long time now, but, just like a woman who goes into labor for the first time, you don't know the impact until you're in the middle of it.

Junior started crying about fifteen minutes into dinner and, I swear the entire table jumped up. He was a true prince; he had all of us at his beck and call.

"Thanks guys, but, I've got him." I said, before walking over to his bassinet and picking him up.

"I'm going to change his diaper; I'll be right back." I said, before making my way to the changing table in his nursery.

"I'll warm him up a bottle." Mom said, placing her dinner napkin on the table.

I had changed his diapers enough times over the last three months while visiting Bella, so this was a piece of cake now.

I reached over into the wipe warmer and took out two wipes.

"Hey, my little prince, you slept a long time. That long car ride must have been exhausting for you, huh?"

Junior kicked his legs and cooed in response while I put baby powder and a clean diaper on him. After fastening his onesie, I wrapped him up in one of his many blankets and carried him into the dining room.

"Want me to feed him, so you can finish your dinner?" Mom asked, as she walked in with his bottle.

"No, I've got him; go ahead, sit down and eat, mom. We're fine." I said, before walking into my living room and sitting on the couch.

It was now 8:30 p.m., so I should be done feeding and burping him just in time for Bella's email.

"Edward, Alice and Rose are clearing the table and Tanya and I will load the dishwasher. I'm going to wrap your plate up and put it in the fridge for later, in case you get hungry." Mom said, and then headed back into my kitchen.

After grabbing a feeding cloth from his diaper bag, I sat down to feed my son. I sat back and relaxed as I watched him devour the eight ounces of milk mom had prepared. After cleaning up, everyone filtered back into the living room at about ten minutes before nine. Dad opened a bottle of wine and we all made a toast to Junior's homecoming. After burping him, I passed him to my mom and excused myself to go email Bella.

_July 29, 2012_

_8:59 p.m._

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: Missing piece to our puzzle!_

_Bella,_

_We made it home safely at about seven fifteen this evening. Junior slept until just after eight and I just finished changing his diaper and feeding him about thirty minutes ago. Everyone is here; mom, dad, Tanya, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose. They had dinner prepared for us when we arrived and it felt good to sit back and relax. Things are going well right now, but, between you and me, I'm ready for everyone to go home, so Junior and I can have some alone time. How are you holding up?_

_July 29, 2012_

_9:01 p.m._

_From: Bella_

_To: Edward_

_Subject: Always with you!_

_Hey there handsome,_

_I'm glad you guys made it safely and had a chance to get settled in. I am very surprised he slept as long as he did. So glad we have the support of your… correction, our family; we will need it to get through this. I know you are tired and want to spend time alone with our son, but don't rush them away; this can become overwhelming for you, especially this first week. I have had my share of breakdowns and I'm sure more are to come, but, overall I'm okay. Knowing Junior is with you and not in some foster home makes this bearable._

_July 29, 2012_

_9:03 p.m._

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: Wish I could hold you_

_Emily informed me you would be getting an appeal hearing in the next fourteen days; if the appeal is approved, they will try to get a new trial scheduled within sixty days of that date. She plans to have you out of there in the next ten to twelve weeks. Then, I can kiss and hug you anytime I want; which will be all the time!_

_July 29, 2012_

_9:05 p.m._

_From: Bella_

_To: Edward_

_Subject: Wanting to feel your arms around me!_

_I know; the Deputy Warden stopped by to see me this evening with Leah to make sure I was okay. She said she will use whatever power she can to push my case through the system quickly. Now, back to the kissing and hugging me all the time; careful, Mr. Cullen, that could lead to trouble._

_July 29, 2012_

_9:06 p.m._

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: Trouble?_

_Well, if I must say so myself, Ms. Swan, I am all for getting into trouble with you! By the way, what makes you so sure that __**I**__ would be the one in trouble? I plan to claim and own every inch of you; you have no idea the hot water you will be in the moment you step through the door of our home!_

_July 29, 2012 _

_9:08 p.m._

_From: Bella_

_To: Edward_

_Subject: Hot and Bothered_

_Mr. Cullen, I am only allowed to take a shower before 8:00 p.m., so please do not get me all hot and bothered with no way to relieve myself. As for claiming every inch of me, I'm already yours for the taking, so you won't have to try to hard; I am a very willing participant._

_July 29, 2012_

_9:09 p.m._

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: Hot and Bothered_

_Ms. Swan, hot and bothered is exactly how I want you before you go to bed; that way, I know you'll dream of me, hopefully kissing every inch of your glorious body! I've dreamt about you, on a sunny beach in a navy blue two piece bathing suit; you have on a light blue sheer wrap and your long, wavy brown hair blows in the wind as you walk toward me. Your pretty toes are covered with hot pink polish that stands out against the white sand you are walking on; your body is heavenly and you're really a sight for sore eyes. When we make love, we get so lost in each other that time seems to stand still. I have every intention to make that dream come true._

_July 29, 2012_

_9:11 p.m._

_From: Bella_

_To: Edward_

_Subject: This email __**is**__ being monitored for "quality assurance"_

_You do realize that my emails are monitored, right?_

_July 29, 2012_

_9:11 p.m._

_From: Edward_

_To: Bella_

_Subject: This email __**should**__ be monitored for "training purposes"_

_You do realize that I don't care, right? I have not broken any laws and neither have you, so what's the worst that can happen? Someone will find out just how much you are loved and wanted!_

_July 29, 2012_

_9:13 p.m._

_From: Bella _

_To: Edward_

_Subject: I Love You!_

_I love you so much it hurts; please kiss Junior for me and tell him I love and miss him. I can't wait until Friday, when I can kiss his fat cheeks and lick your warm lips. Until tomorrow, goodnight, love of my life!_

_July 29, 2012_

_9:14 p.m._

_To: Bella_

_From: Edward_

_Subject: I Love You More!_

_I love you more than you could ever know. I will give our son a kiss on each cheek for you and yes, Friday cannot come fast enough. I'll see you in my dreams; meet me on the white sands, goodnight my love!_

**A/N: Okay, so here is another chapter, hope you guys enjoy it! Please check out the new banner for chapter 52 (53 on FF) done by the lovely "CaliGirlMon" a.k.a. "My Banner Girl" on my FB page at EdwardCullen Forever. Please read and leave me your thoughts; thank you again!**


	55. Chapter 55

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward, Bear1867, sexycanI, francesmama, Tulips at Twilight, pinkscoush, Jenn, Handa59, BookHound, acw1, Night script, witchykitty 1313, ducksandruns, crocuslady, chepburn77, mdsngrc, edaddict3254, ILoveFanFiction74, cullengirl08, D-maximum twilight, padme35, mayejrmorris, Momma Laura, Debbie White, it's simply me n you, dckdck422, Joanne10, CaliGirlMon, candy6princess,vvply01, cabal22, 07LSU, animedumplin, e6flores,Flavia Ribeiro, jadedghost22, Sakada, northGAgirl34, Isabella Esme Cullen, Isimonb63, psychovampirefreak, ksw3,FranRichards, the love we have, Mari94, power214063, nightdreamz-n-panicattacks, dreamngo4it9, Sakada Eve, michangelina, RPFANN, LunaKaleidoscope, Heather Grey, blkbttrfly, Mandita 93, MasenMarieCarlie, KRmahal, Vane3131, Bubbleybear, saintfudge, satakshipari, michiee.x.x, chris1970, Cullen Sandra, princess07890, baybay's mommy, Fen29, barbarito, boo1414, Sylvia Nguyen, tawelephant, gorgo67, notthatamanda, Jenn1214, lynne0731, haylee21, cyndi407, annagardner11 & 83 guests for the reviews. Also thank you very much for taking the time to leave me your thoughts and theories, you guys are fantastic! Also thanks again to those who signed up to follow my story, has tagged it as a favorite and signed up for alerts.**

**Special thanks to princess07890 for being my AMAZING beta!**

**Chapter 54**

**Separation Anxieties**

**EPOV**

Shortly after 10 p.m., everyone started packing up to leave, and by this time; I was exhausted, barely holding my eyes open. Mom had rocked Junior back to sleep and was now offering to spend the night.

"Edward, are you sure you will be okay?" Mom asked, worry etched on her face.

"Yes, mom, if something goes wrong or if I feel like I cannot handle things, I promise, I will not hesitate to call you." I said, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"Promise?"

"I promise, mom."

We all said our goodbyes and then, there was silence, complete, silence. Yet, I could hear a voice, screaming at me, berating me, and tormenting me about not being capable of caring for my son alone. I took a deep breath and pushed the fear down, while rolling a sleeping Junior in his bassinet into my bedroom.

I stripped off my clothes and changed into a black t-shirt and pajama bottoms, before crawling into bed. When my head hit the pillow, it felt like heaven and I immediately succumbed to sleep.

I was jolted awake by the sounds of Junior vociferating at the top of his lungs. I sat up, turned on my side light and pulled his bassinet closer to my bed, so that I could reach in and take him out. His tear streaked face was red and he looked more upset than I have ever seen him.

"Okay, prince, daddy's here, shhh, daddy's got you." I said, as I put him up on my shoulder and got out of the bed to go change his diaper and warm up his bottle. He immediately quieted down, and I could hear him sucking on his fist, as I made my way to his room.

Grabbing the bottle of breast milk from the fridge that I had prepared before bed, I placed it in the bottle warmer and pushed the button. Junior began to fuss again, and started squirming in my arms, and still sucking on his fist.

"I know, you're hungry, baby." I said, as I brought him down from my shoulder so I could look at him.

I cradled his head and neck in one hand, while supporting his lower back and bottom with the other. I nuzzled his nose with mine, and relished in his fresh baby scent.

After feeding and burping him, I attempted to rock him back to sleep, with no success. He started out with just little whimpers, but, when it was all said and done, Junior was shrieking as if he was in pain. I checked every inch of him, looking for what could have my son so upset. I remembered that Bella once told me, that babies sometimes get gas and, their little tummies could cramp; so I gave him a couple of drops of baby Gas X, but it was to no avail.

I continued to walk the floor with him, hoping this would calm him down, but nothing seemed to work. I was physically tired, and mentally drained, and, after forty five minutes of listening to Junior's screams, my nerves were shot. I placed him in his swing, but he continued to cry. I placed him in his bouncer, this also did nothing.

"Hey, I'm sorry, little prince, daddy doesn't know what's wrong; can you help me out here? I'm trying baby, I really am." And, just then, it all hit me and, suddenly, I felt so incredibly overwhelmed and unsure of myself as a father.

Sure, I could be "dad" for two hours a week, during my visitations with Bella, but this was the real deal. He was here and he was mine to take care of. There is no nursery to take him to, no Dr. Clearwater to make sure he was okay, and, most importantly, no Bella to comfort him. I was all he had at this very moment and, I could not, would not, fail him.

Finally, too fatigued to walk the floor anymore, I grabbed a blanket out of his diaper bag and headed back into my bedroom. I lay down in my bed, placed the blanket on my chest, and placed a wailing Junior on top of it. I could smell Bella's scent on the blanket and, instantly, he calmed down. Junior laid there, on my chest, eyes open, listening to my heartbeat and, after another seven to eight minutes, he drifted off to sleep and so did I, holding my son firmly against me.

OOOO00000000OOOO

I felt the weight of Junior being lifted from my chest, and immediately tried to grab him, thinking he was falling. I opened my eyes to find my mother standing over me and taking Junior into her arms.

"You look rough this morning, son. Did you sleep at all?" She asked, with a knowing smirk on her face.

"No, as a matter of fact, I did not get much sleep at all." I said, sitting up and running my hand down my face. My body felt like I had been in a fight from the awkward position I slept in and, my eyes burned with the need to close, as I struggled to hold them open.

I'll change his diaper, while, you make coffee, go. Come on, grandma's baby; let's get this wet diaper off of you." My mom said, as she exited my bedroom.

I stumbled into my bathroom and, after washing my face and brushing my teeth, I went to make coffee, as my mother requested. I was so exhausted and, I just couldn't believe, a three month old, could wear me out like this.

My mom strolled into the kitchen, with a now dry and, fully alert Junior in arms. She placed him in my arms, as she went to warm a bottle.

After feeding and burping Junior, I placed him in his swing and, turned on the music for him. The swinging motion, combined with the soft melody, seemed to soothe Junior quite well. I couldn't help but wonder why this didn't work last night.

"So, he kept you up all night, huh? Welcome to parenthood, son." My mother said, smiling at me as she sipped her coffee.

"Mom, it was terrible and, I felt horrible that I did not know how to comfort him."

"Oh honey, it has nothing to do with you; he was looking for his mother and, nothing you did was going to comfort him."

When my mother said that, it suddenly all made sense.

"No wonder; that's why he calmed down." I said, remembering how Junior stopped crying when I laid him on his blanket, which had Bella's scent on it.

As I sat, enjoying my cup of coffee, with my mother, my cell phone rang from the living room. Garrett, the PI on the case and the nephew of Emily, name appeared on the caller ID. I quickly hit the button to pick up the call.

"Garrett, what do you have for me?" I asked him, getting right to the point.

"Good morning to you, too, Mr. Cullen." He said, with humor in his voice.

"Did you find out any new developments?" I said, a little kinder this time.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did; I have video surveillance of Jane tampering with the files on the computer as well as a few of the prison guards who it appears have helped her. I believe it was one of them making the calls to you, but, whether we prove that or not, there is enough incriminating activity on the tapes to put all of them away. The guards and Jane were both in unauthorized areas during hours when administration offices were closed, on more than one occasion. When the videos were enhanced, the screen on the computer Jane used showed her accessing Ms. Swan's records."

"Good work, Garrett, very good; and you will be compensated on top of what your aunt is paying you. However, I was wondering, would you be interested in doing some further investigating for me?"

"I don't think more investigating is necessary for a solid conviction, Mr. Cullen." He said, sounding a little offended.

"No, this would be a separate job, but it would have to stay between the two of us for now."

"I'm listening." He said, sounding bemused.

"I need you to find someone for me; I want to know his lifestyle. Is he married? Does he have children and what kind of person is he? I need details down to where he buys his groceries and how he likes his coffee in the morning.

"Okay; do you have a name and, at least a general idea of where _**he**_ is?

"He is a doctor in Chicago and his name is Charlie Swan."

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, my daughter passed her cold on to me and that had me down for a couple of days. Hope this chapter was worth the wait. Please leave me your thoughts, thanks.**


	56. Chapter 56

**Special thanks again to princess07890 for being my AMAZING beta!**

**Chapter 55**

**Parenthood **

**EPOV**

It's been six days and, I am no more rested now than I was the first night I brought Junior home. He now has his days and nights confused for some reason now. He sleeps and shits all day and plays, laughs, and, sometimes, cries all night. The first three nights were the worst and I knew the one thing he wanted and needed, Bella, and I couldn't give him.

Bella and I have not missed a day of talking and emailing one another and, on a couple of occasions, Bella broke down crying. I would comfort her as best I could with encouraging words, but I knew nothing I said could take away the sting of being separated from Junior.

Today will be my first visit to see her with Junior and, while I know three hours of visiting will only be torturous for the both of them, I am grateful for anytime they get together.

In other news, Garrett has located Bella's father and is in the process of getting a good number for me to call him at. I want to first make him aware of Bella's existence and then see if he even wants to have anything to do with her, because, if he doesn't, there is no sense in even introducing him into her or Junior's lives. I won't allow anyone to ever hurt her ever again.

My mom has come over every morning to assist with giving Junior a bath and showing me the proper way to take care of him. I think I have finally got the bathing part down and, I'm learning to wash quickly before he starts to shoot pee out at me. Yeah, he has gotten me a couple of times during diaper changes, too, but I am getting better at recognizing the signs. When I see his little wiener start to rise up, I know the pee is coming.

We had our first good night last night, and, although he did not sleep, he did not cry; he just lay in his bassinet, perfectly content with kicking his legs and feet. This allowed me to get some rest.

"Okay, honey, I think I've packed everything you'll need." Mom said, bringing my thoughts back to the present.

"Thanks, mom; I'll call to let you know we've made it to Gig Harbor." I said, grabbing the diaper bag and, picking up Junior, before heading out the door.

OOOO00000000OOOO

My little prince and I arrived in Gig Harbor about 55 minutes later and, luckily for me, he slept until the last 5 minutes of our drive. The sound of him sucking on his fist, alerted me to him being awake. As I removed him from his car seat, he was wide awake and smiling, and, for that, I was grateful, because Bella will need his smiles. After going through security, which pissed me off to no ends when they had to search my son, we finally were escorted to the same apartments for our visit that were used for our last visit. I took Edward, Jr. out of his carrier and stood by the window, waiting to see the love of my life crossing the grass.

Only Bella could make the navy blue D.O.C. uniforms look as sexy as she did and, when she walked through the door, she rushed over and grabbed Junior while crashing her lips to mine.

"Hey there Edward, how is mommy's baby?" She said, holding him up in the air and, he rewarded her with a long string of drool on her chin.

Bella just laughed with tears in her eyes as she sat on the couch in the living room and I took a seat next to her.

"Hey handsome, I missed you." She said, leaning over and giving me another kiss.

"Me too, beautiful, how are you?" I asked, while kissing her forehead.

"I'm good now, with my two favorite men here. Yes, you are mommy's favorite little man." She said, rubbing her nose against his and this made him smile and laugh at her.

She sat back on the couch and turned to me with and enormous grin on her face.

"What? What's the goofy grin for?" I asked, caressing her cheek as I turned and propped my elbow against the back of the couch, supporting my head with my other hand.

"I have a hearing date." She said, bouncing up and down in her seat.

"You're kidding me, this fast? How? When did you find out?"

"Yesterday, I received a letter from the board." She said, reaching into her shirt pocket and, handing me the letter.

I quickly read through the letter and, my heart began to race I was so excited.

"Tuesday, August 8th, Bella, that's in four days, love!" I said, looking up at her in total disbelief.

"I know, baby, isn't that great? I never dreamed that I would get a hearing this fast, but Deputy Warden Clearwater said she would push things through quickly for me and, she it looks as if she kept her word. She also said, if I win the appeal, I could get a new trial in a month." She finished, and I don't think I've ever seen her eyes shine the way they are now. For the first time since I laid eyes on her, Bella is truly happy and this is news that is palatable for us both.

We spent the next few hours just being a family. I watched her nurse our son when it was time for him to eat. We talked about our future and what we wanted and expected from each other. She described her dream house to me and, I took very good mental notes. She told me that she was able to enroll for the fall online classes to finish the last semester of her third year of undergrad and she is now on a five year plan to finish medical school.

That brought to my mind her father and, I seriously contemplated telling her, that I had hired a PI to try and find him; but, not knowing what her reaction may be, I didn't want to spoil this day, for either of us. Not when things are finally working in our favor; no, that news would have to wait.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" she said, bringing my attention back to her and our little prince, who was now sleeping.

"Have you thought about what medical school you want to attend?" I asked, smiling at her and kissing her neck before capturing her lips.

I savored the taste, as I sucked on her bottom lip. Just one of the many perks of conjugal visits, which she is entitled to, because of Junior.

"No" kiss, "not really" kiss "but, I…" kiss kiss "guess I…" kiss "should, right?" kiss.

"Mmmhmm" kiss "I guess you should" kiss

We continued to kiss, as our tongues fought for dominance and our kisses became more desperate. I pulled her onto my lap and, she straddled me as she fisted my hair, as we hungrily sucked on each other's lips. Instinctually, my hand went up to massage her breast, but, she quickly stopped me.

"MmmMmm, that could become messy, plus you're messing with our little one's dinner." She said, with a raised brow and a chuckle.

"Wouldn't want to do that, now would we?" I said, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her closer to me.

As I held her by the nape of her neck, I grabbed her ass and gave a tight squeeze, which earned me the most delectable sounding moan I have heard in a long time. As she continued to grind on my rock hard cock, I could feel her heat and, I felt as if I would explode any moment.

"Bella, baby" I whispered, with a very weak effort to get her attention

"Edward, I want you so bad; I need to feel you." She whispered, as she sucked on my earlobe.

"Bella, you have no idea how much I want you right now, but…"

She cut me off when she came up and crashed her lips to mine again, while continuing to grind her heat against me. This woman is trying to kill me!

"Please, Edward" she moaned into my mouth while continuing to assault my lips with hers and, knowing it was now or never before I literally explode from the friction, I forced myself to lift her tiny frame off of me. The rejection that I saw in her eyes was downright painful; as she clearly misread my actions.

"What did I do wrong?" she asked, with unshed tears in her eyes, as she panted for breath.

I shut my eyes tight, trying to gain some control over myself and my own breathing. I then cupped her face between my hands

"Absolutely nothing, Bella, in fact you're doing everything right. You're so much more than I have ever dreamed and I love you for that."

"Then, why don't you want me?" she finally asked, as one lone tear rolled down her cheek and I caught it with my mouth and kissed her nose and then her mouth.

"Oh Bella, there is no one I want, but you, but not like this; not here, in this place. You deserve so much more than that. When I make love to you for the first time, I want it to be special and, I want it to be in _our_ home, in _our_ bedroom, in _our_ bed.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, for these to be prison owned apartments, they are pretty nice and very well maintained, but, it's not ours and neither of us belong here. I can wait, because, you're worth it baby."

There was a knock on the door that caused both of us to jump and, when I looked through the peephole, I saw Dr. Clearwater on the other side of the door.

"Hi Dr. Clearwater" I said, as I opened the door and, stepped back so she could enter the apartment. She was carrying what looked like an insulated lunch bag on her shoulder.

"Hey Leah, is everything okay?" Bella said, clearly not expecting for Leah to have visited.

"Oh yes, everything is great; I just wanted to drop off your breast milk that was in the freezer to Edward. This bag should keep it frozen until you get home. How is the little guy, by the way? How did he do his first week with you?"

"It was rough for a few days, but he seems to be adjusting fairly well." I said, while praying that she could not see the lump in my jeans.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that and, oh look at him, he's so adorable sleeping." She said, looking at Junior in his carrier.

"Well, I am heading home for the day; you guys enjoy the rest of your visit and, be good." She said, pointing to both of us with a knowing expression.

I cleared my throat, while Bella turned beet red from embarrassment.

"Have a good night, Dr. Clearwater." I said, as I closed the door.

Bella and I looked at each other and went into hysterics.

"Why do I feel like the teenage girl, whose mother just caught me in the house with a boy?"

"I know, right; me, too."

"You feel like a teenage girl?" She said, laughing at me

"What? Oh you've got jokes, okay." I said, as I grabbed her and started tickling her, until she could barely breathe.

"O…okay…I …I gi…I give, I can't breathe Ed…Edward." She said, as she collapsed into my arms, laughing and I just held her, wishing this moment never had to end. But, of course, it did.

When Bella finally caught her breath, I held her tight to my chest and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you, too." She said, looking up at me and, just as my lips touched hers, my little prince woke up, demanding his attention.

Bella nursed him one last time before we had to head home.

"I'll email you as soon as we get home and I get Junior settled, okay?"

"I'll be waiting." She said, as she placed kisses on his cheeks

"Mommy loves you." She said, with a trembling voice and I knew this part would be hard for her just like last week.

When the guards knocked on the door, I took Junior from her and placed another chaste kiss on her lips before she opened the door to be escorted back to her cell. With one more "I love you" to one another, she was gone and I walked over to the window to watch her walk out of my view. After strapping Junior into his carrier, I grabbed his diaper bag and the bag of milk, and we headed home for week two.


	57. Chapter 57

**Special thanks again to princess07890 for being my AMAZING beta!**

**Chapter 56**

**The Hearing**

**BPOV**

As I stood in the mirror, I couldn't help fidgeting with the hem to my suit jacket that Edward had delivered to me for my hearing today. It's a tan pantsuit with a cream drape neck blouse and, matching tan heels. No doubt that this designer get- up was put together by Alice.

"Ms. Swan, the board is ready for you." The guard said and proceeded to escort me to my hearing.

As I entered the hearing room, which looked more like a very small court room, the judge, the two hearing officers, the clerk, and my attorney all stood until I was brought to my seat, which was right next to Emily. After being greeted by the board, Emily and I were instructed by the judge to sit.

"Ms. Swan, you are here today because your attorney filed an appeal on your behalf. This appeal came with the submission of new evidence that was never presented to the court in your initial trial. For this reason, if, after all evidence is reviewed and, you win this appeal, I will instruct the courts to grant you a new trial for the charges of involuntary manslaughter, with the intention of presenting this new evidence and getting your sentence and conviction overturned. Now, it is my understanding that you plead not guilty, is this correct?" The judge asked, looking at me with a blank expression.

"Yes, your honor, that is correct." I said, voice trembling. I cleared my throat and took a sip from the glass of water that had been placed in front of me.

"Very well, please swear Ms. Swan in and we can begin." The judge said to one of the hearing officers sitting next to her.

As I rose to take the oath once again, I focused on Edward and Edward, Jr. and that alone gave me the strength and courage I would need to make it through this hearing.

"Isabella Swan, please raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do."

**EPOV**

I was not allowed to attend Bella's hearing today, because only her legal counsel could be present. So, here I am at my parents' home, sitting on the floor with Junior, on his activity mat. I have a set of toy keys in my hand that play music, so I am currently dangling them over his face in an effort to get him to reach for them.

The way his eyes go wide, the cooing sounds he makes, and, the way he flails his legs and arms, in his best attempt to reach for the toy keys, is downright adorable.

"Come on, you can do it, little prince, come on." I said, shaking the keys just above him and, when he felt his little fist finally hit the toy keys, he really became excited and started kicking his legs harder and making louder sounds.

"Oh my God, he is just the cutest baby in the world." My sister, Tanya, said, as she walked into the living room.

She lay on her stomach, right next to Junior, and, once he caught sight of her out of his peripheral, he turned his head and forgot all about me and the toy keys. The next thing I knew, he was in Tanya's arms and was being bounced on her lap, laughing when she blew raspberries on his stomach.

"Traitor; this was supposed to be our time together, son. Just look at you, one pretty face, and you forget all about daddy." I said, kissing his cheek and getting off the floor.

"Where's dad?" I asked, as I stood up.

"He's in his office."

"You mind watching him for a little while?" I asked, Tanya as she lifted Junior in the air and lowered his cheek to her mouth, earning yet more giggles from my son.

"Of course I don't mind watching you." She said in a baby tone and, I shook my head laughing as I walked to the staircase.

"Hey, don't get any ideas; I wouldn't want to have to castrate your future husband." I said, before going up the stairs.

"Go away Edward." She said, rolling her eyes.

I lightly knocked on my father's office door, before pushing it open.

"Edward, come in, have a seat. Where's Junior?"

"Tanya has him downstairs; I wanted to talk to you about something."

"That son of yours has your mother and sister wrapped around his little fingers." He said, laughing

"Tell me about it, Alice and Rose have been to my house almost every day after work and it's not, to check on me."

"What's on your mind, son?" He said, chuckling.

"I had a PI locate Bella's father."

"That's great; is he coming to see her?"

"He doesn't even know she exists."

"I thought he just lived in another state and they didn't talk." My dad said, looking at me over his glasses.

"No, Bella's mother never told him she was pregnant, so he has no idea he has a daughter, let alone a grandson." I said.

"Wow" My father said, removing his glasses and rubbing the back of his neck.

"I know, right? Garrett, the PI, called me this morning and gave me a contact number to reach him. He's a doctor in Chicago at Northwestern Hospital."

"Have you called him?"

"Not yet, but I'm going to."

"And, you want my advice on this." He said, more as a statement than a question.

"Yes, if you have any."

My father stood, walked over to the window, and placed his hands in his pocket.

"Edward, this is a tough one, because, you don't know what his reaction is going to be. Ideally, when you call him; he'll be shocked, but elated to learn of his daughter, and, can't wait to meet her. He flies here, gets acquainted with her and his new grandson, and we all live 'Happily Ever After.'" He said, making quotation marks with his fingers in the air.

"But, we live in something called 'the real world' and, there are so many things that could go wrong with this. He could be married with children and if he is this new revelation might turn his marriage and life upside down. He may reject the whole idea of Bella even being his daughter; I mean we are talking about someone he had a relationship with twenty four, almost twenty five years ago. He is probably going to want proof, and God forbid, but, what if it he is found not to be her father; what a disaster that would be."

"Or, he may not be happy about it, but he just may try to have a relationship with a daughter who really needs him." I said, getting pissed about my father's negative outlook on this.

"Son, I'm not trying to upset you, I just want you to be prepared for the worst; because, whatever his reaction is, you will have to help her through it. So, my question to you is, is this a can of worms you're ready to open?"

I did not respond right away as I allowed my father's words to sink in. Was I ready for this, and, would Bella be able to handle her father's rejection if he decided to not have anything to do with her?

"I guess, I was hoping that, somehow, she could have a relationship with the only family she has left in this world."

"But, is that what Bella wants? You can't make that decision for her, Edward. What if you contact him and he is all for meeting his daughter and she rejects him? Then what happens? Not only would you tear his life apart, but now you would have placed a wedge between you and Bella. She trusts you to make good decisions, for all three of you; why else do you think you have that precious boy downstairs? I'll tell you why, because she believes that, no matter what, you will always make decisions that are in the best interest of your family. She and Junior _are_ your family now." My dad said, moving to sit in the chair right next to me.

"I've never considered that she may not want to meet him."

"I know you want so desperately to fill all the voids in her life, but, did it ever occur to you that you and Junior may be all she needs to heal? Don't force her hand on something that you've given her no other choice but to accept. You'll regret it, and, she'll resent you for it."

"You're right; I don't know what I was thinking about when I decided to not discuss this with her first."

"You weren't thinking, come on. Let's see what your sister and my grandson are doing." He said, heading towards the door.

When we returned to downstairs, my sister was feeding Junior in the kitchen, while my mom sat at the table, reading the newspaper and, drinking coffee.

"How's he doing?" I asked, as I sat next to Tanya at the table.

"He is a perfect little angel." She said, kissing his forehead.

"There are some cinnamon muffins and coffee over there, if you're hungry, or I could make you some breakfast if you would like."

No, I'm fine; I ate before we left home this morning. How have things been at the office, mom?"

"Things have been a little hectic for Emmett and Jasper, since they had to pick up your work load, but they are not complaining. Rosalie has helped them out on a few occasions, so we are managing." She said, smiling.

"You know, I could always set up a swing and playpen in my office and come back to work." I said, looking at my mom.

"Are you kidding me? You would drag my grandson to work every day? Not a chance, besides, you'll be back soon enough and then, I will cut my hours so I can keep him while you are at work."

"Mom, that's not necessary, I'm going to hire him a full time nanny and we'll be fine. Alice is screening people for interviews for me now and I will start the interview process next week" I said, taking a now sleeping Junior from Tanya's arms and placing him on my shoulder.

"Thanks for feeding and burping him, sis."

"Anytime; I have to go get ready now, Jake will be here soon to drop me off at the office." She said, kissing my cheek and running off.

I spent the rest of the morning relaxing with my parents and anxiously waiting for my phone to ring. At 12:15 P.M., it did. I closed my eyes and, mentally prepared myself for the worst, and then, I answered the call.

"Hey, Emily, how are you? How did the hearing go?" I asked, while my heart pounded in my chest.

"Edward, she won!"

**A/N: Sorry for the delayed update, I have had some computer issues. Please read and, review. I love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading.**

**Rec Time:**

_**Fool for You- by CaliMonGirl**_**, an awesome story, summary reads:**

**Best friends. A boy lost in his addiction, a girl lost to her heart, losing themselves along the way, in time they find themselves on a journey back to each other.**

_**Salacious**_**- **_**by: cutestkidsmom**_**, fantastic story, summary reads: **

**In a world where money is power, and power is everything, Edward must stay true to the society he was raised in to, and stay true to its values. Laid back Bella is the object of his affection, and he will stop at nothing to have her, what is your life worth? Would you hand it over to a beautiful stranger for money?**

_**The Gentlemen- Book 1 by: MasterAskim, **_**another fantastic story, summary reads:**__

**Bella Dwyer was an average girl until tragedy strikes and her life is turned upside-down by the mysterious organization known only as "The Gentlemen". Bella must learn to navigate the web of intrigue these power-brokers weave around her and decide once and for all who she can trust before time runs out for her and her new allies.**


	58. Chapter 58

**To my beta, princess07890, thanks for keeping me on track, you rock!**

**Chapter 57**

**Good News, Bad News**

**EPOV**

"Hey, Emily, how are you? How did the hearing go?" I asked, while my heart pounded in my chest.

"Edward, she won!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I felt like the Earth's axis had just shifted and, my knees buckled, as I slowly lowered myself to the stool, at the island, in my parents' kitchen.

"She won? Please tell me this is real." I said, trying to wrap my mind around the surreal news I had just learned.

"It's very real and very true. They took one look at the evidence presented, asked Bella a few questions, and, made an instantaneous, unanimous decision that Bella was not given a fair trial. The judge has remanded this case back to court for a new trial, immediately."

I blew out a breath, that until that, very moment, I had not realized I was even holding. I shut my eyes tight while tilting my head to the sky.

"Thank you." I whispered, as I thanked God for showing favor.

"Are you still there Edward?" Emily asked.

"Yes, Emily, I am still here; I'm just trying to process it all. So, what now? How long will it be before a new trial?" I said, not able to contain my excitement.

"Well, I'll go to the court tomorrow to file for the new hearing and, hopefully, we will get a trial within the next thirty to forty five days. Unfortunately, Bella will be in there for another couple of months, minimum."

"That's still better than a couple of years. Emily, I don't know how to thank you." I said, walking back into the living room with my parents.

"You can thank me with a check, made out Uley & Associates." She said, chuckling.

"I will personally bring it to your office tomorrow. Thanks again, Emily." I said before hanging up.

"I take it from the smile on your face that Bella's hearing went well." My mom said, smiling at me as she stood up to bring me Junior.

"Mom, dad, she won her appeal and they are giving her a new trial." I said, while taking my little prince into my arms and kissing the top of his head.

"That fast; they decided that fast? Wow! That must have been some pretty overwhelming evidence Emily submitted." My dad said, looking shocked.

"Yeah, that and the written testimony of an eye witness. Bella's next door neighbor, Angela Weber, signed a statement recalling events she had witnessed while living next door to Bella and her ex husband."

"Well, we are going to have to send this Angela a gift basket or something." My mom said.

"NO!" My dad and I both shouted at the same time.

"Well, why the hell not? Geez, it's just a gift basket and stop shouting before you scare my grandson, you idiots." My mom said, looking quite annoyed.

I raised my eyebrows in shock at my mother's sudden choice of words and, my father chuckled while shaking his head.

"Sweetheart, sending a gift to a witness, especially while a trial is still going on, can be interpreted by the law as 'coercion or bribery'" my dad patiently informed my mother.

"Oh, well, that's just stupid." She said, turning on her heels and exiting the living room.

I turned to my father with a confused look on my face that clearly said, 'what the hell was that about?' He shook his head, while shrugging his shoulders and, said one word before following her,

"Menopause."

"Ah, got it, good luck with that." I said, laughing at my dad now.

My cell phone rang as I headed to the kitchen behind my dad and I looked down to see that it was Emily calling back.

"Emily, I'm a very wealthy man, you don't have to harass me about your money." I said jokingly.

"Edward, listen to me." I could hear the panic in her voice and it sound like she was crying."

"Emily, what's wrong, what happen, is Bella okay?" I asked, as fear rose up in me.

"It's Victoria, someone tried to kill her, Edward. They… oh God…. They…. Her car exploded this morning." She said in between sobs.

"What?! What do you mean her car exploded? Is she alive, Emily?" I asked, now panicking myself.

Victoria had given her all to this case, and despite all my suspicions, I was dead wrong about her intentions and, now, someone has harmed her.

"She's in critical condition and she is not conscious. Turn on your TV, Edward; it's all over the news right now." She said, while still crying.

"Edward, what going on?" I heard my father ask, as my mother took Junior out of my arms.

I held up a finger to him, while I continued to talk to Emily.

"Emily, how much do you know about what happen?"

"I just know she went to her car this morning and when she tried to use her remote starter, the engine stalled and, as she walked away to head back to her house, the car exploded. This is what one of her neighbors who was outside told the police."

I paced the floor in my parents' living room, not wanting to believe what my ears were hearing. I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to think of who would want to take Victoria out and only one name came to mind, Jane Volturi.

At this present time, Jane was being held without bond, waiting for a preliminary hearing to be set. So, this would mean she has someone still working on the outside.

"Emily, where are you?"

"I'm on my way back to my office."

"I'll meet you there in thirty minutes, okay? I said, before hanging up with her.

I looked over to my parents, who were both staring at me and, waiting for answers.

"Someone tried to kill Victoria; her car exploded this morning while she was trying to go to work."

"Oh my God!" My mom said, covering her mouth with her hand, as the color drained from her face.

"She's going to live right? I mean, how bad is it?" my dad asked.

"I don't know dad; she's in critical condition." I said, and I could hear the crack in my voice; my mother sobbed beside me.

"Who the hell would want to do something like this?" My father said, looking angry now. "I'm going to go call Peter; I'm sure he is distraught.

My father and Victoria's father had been friends since college and they had remained friends, even after our breakup.

"Mom, I'm going to call Alice to come help with Junior while I go meet with Emily, is that okay?" I said, hugging her.

I turned on the news while dialing Alice's number and, just like Emily said; it was breaking news on every channel.

"Hey, Edward, how are you?" Alice answered in her usually chipper voice.

"Alice, I need a favor."

I filled her in on all the details and she said she would be over in twenty minutes. I kissed my mom and headed out the door to meet Emily. While driving, I dialed Garrett's number and he answered on the first ring.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to call me." Garrett said.

"Any leads yet?"

"No, but I'm all over it, don't worry."

"I'm picking up the tab for this one, so, you stop at nothing to find out who's behind this. I want answers and I want heads to roll; I want the son of bitch that's responsible for this to wish they were never born!"

"Well, that just so happens to be my specialty, sir; I'll check back in with you soon." He said and then hung up, and, I hit the gas, trying to get to Emily as quickly as possible.

**A/N: Okay, so things are getting a little ugly now! Thank you to those who left reviews, they are truly valued. For those signing up for favorite story and author alerts, I appreciate you also, but I want to hear your thoughts, too. So, please take a second to leave a review, I read all of them, thanks.**

**Rec Time:**

_**I Should Go by nikkipattison-**_** summary read:**

**I was happy. I thought that she was too. I guess that's why the cheating completely blindsided me. I would never have done it and I had just assumed that she felt the same. I thought that she loved me as much as I loved her. I was wrong.**

_**Sunshine And Rainbows by Little Miss Norty**_**- summary reads:**

**One woman's internal fight between right and wrong. Battling heart over head. One man's attempt to show her life can be good. Life isn't always sunshine and rainbows, but can a certain co-worker change all of that?**

_**Black & White by Alice Vampire**_**- summary reads:**

**Edward Cullen and Bella Swan live in a ****black**** and ****white**** world. He is a widower and single father. She is a photographer and confirmed bachelorette. Both have locked their hearts and thrown away the key. Picture the colors that return to their worlds as their hearts are set free**


	59. Chapter 59

**To my beta, princess07890, thanks for keeping me on track, even with your hectic schedule; you're the best! This one's for dad and Tinkerbelle!**

**Chapter 58**

**Home Is Where The Heart Is**

**EPOV**

When Emily and I arrived at the hospital, we were escorted by hospital security to the ICU where Victoria was. We found out that she had gotten far enough from the explosion to have only suffered second degree burns to her left leg and, was knocked unconscious when she hit her head on the ground. She had some swelling on her brain from the fall and internal bleeding, so she was in a medically induced coma.

As we stood at her bedside, I could see Emily struggling to keep her emotions under control. I placed my arm around her shoulders for support and gave her arm a light squeeze.

"She didn't deserve this; she poured her soul into this case and look where it got her." Emily said, between her sobs.

"I promise you that Garrett and I will find out who is responsible for this and they will pay, severely. I will make sure they never see the light of day again."

"Edward, I don't want you taking the law into your hands; we are still attorneys and are held to a code of ethics."

"Yeah, we are, but Garrett's not."

"Maybe we should just let the police handle this; my nephew does not always go about these things the 'legal' way, if you know what I mean." She said, looking up at me.

"Sounds like my kind of guy."

"Edward!"

"What? Look at her, Emily! Now, tell me that the fucker responsible for this doesn't deserve whatever torture comes their way? I respect the law, you know I do, but, sometimes, waiting on justice to prevail, just doesn't cut it, Emily."

She shook her head and took a seat next to Victoria. Soon, her dad came into the room and told us that the doctors had said she was in stable condition and they don't think there would be any permanent damage to her brain, but, only time would tell. We stayed at hospital for another two hours, and then, I dropped Emily back off at her office before heading to meet Garrett at his office.

"Edward, buddy, have a seat; can I offer you something to drink, water or coffee?" Garrett asked, as we made our way into his office.

He removed his suit jacket, revealing two guns held in a chest holsters on each side, and hung it on a coat rack in the corner. His office was simple, nothing lavish about it, but very organized. He had a plain wood desk with two matching wood seats in front of it, blinds on the windows, and file cabinets lining each wall. His chair was a simple high back brown leather seat and there was a coffee maker on a small table in a corner. He had one picture of a little girl on his desk that appeared to be about six or seven years old. I looked up to find him staring at me.

"My daughter." He said, gesturing towards the picture.

"She's beautiful; how old is she?" I asked, picking the picture up and getting a better look.

She had long brown hair, beautiful light brown eyes, and a skin that had been clearly kissed by the sun. She was absolutely gorgeous.

"She's eight and she lives in Hawaii, with her mom, Senna, my wife; I'll be going to see her in another month." He said, and I could see the proud look on his face.

"Well, she is certainly something to be proud of; I didn't know you were married." I said, offering a small smile.

"Yeah, she's my little piece of heaven, if you know what I mean." He said, smiling.

"Oh, trust me, I do, I've got my own small piece of heaven at home also." I said, thinking about my little prince.

"My wife and I are separated, but, we're trying to work through it all." He said, with a melancholy tone and, I could tell he longed for his family. Boy, did I know the feeling

"Well, now, down to the business." I said, bringing us back to the matter at hand, sensing that he did not want to elaborate on his personal life.

"I've got some leads, nothing too solid yet, but, leads; nonetheless. Jane confessed to having an affair with Ms. Swan's husband in her written confession; she also confessed, as part of her plea bargain, that Paul, Riley's cousin, who is on the Seattle police department, along with a one of his coworkers, were intentionally not filing police reports filed by Ms. Swan against her late husband, in an effort to protect him. Now, with Jane being locked up, she is restricted in what she can and cannot do, however, if this case goes forward, with all the new evidence being presented, not only does Paul have to worry about losing his job and facing jail time, but so does the other officer who helped him. Now, here is where it gets interesting; the other office's name is Aro Volturi, Jane's brother. This would give all three of them motive to try to kill Victoria and Angela, our two key witnesses.

Jane has been moved to solitary confinement, so that no one on the inside can get to her before the trial. Ms. Weber woke up, to a badly vandalized vehicle, so, I had her moved to an undisclosed location with one of my men guarding her. Ben will report any suspicious incidents to me regarding Ms. Weber. I notified the deputy chief at the police department of the other officer that is suspected to be involved and, ironically, he has been a no call, no show at work for three days now and is nowhere to be found."

"So, this is just one big damn family affair, huh? No wonder people have lost so much faith in our legal system, the inside corruption is enough to make you sick to your stomach." I said, as I tried to digest what Garrett had just told me.

"Don't fret, my friend, it may take us some time, but we will prevail."

"Sorry, I'm just not feeling our justice system right now." I said, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Oh, I never said that legalities would have much to do with my methods."

"Garrett, I'm not paying you to break the law, I don't need that type of publicity; I have too much at stake."

"And I don't?" He said raising his eyebrows.

"I never said that." I said, sighing.

"Look, don't worry, I have my ways and I promise nothing will ever come back to you, or your family, just trust me."

"I need a damn drink." I said, leaning forward and placing my head in my hands.

"Your wish is my command; I'll buy the first round, come on." He said, grabbing his jacket.

After having a couple of beers with Garrett, I felt more relaxed than ever. I headed back to my parents' house and, after eating dinner with my parents, I headed up to my old bedroom to crash with Junior for the night. He only woke up for a feeding one time during the night and went back to sleep afterwards. However, he was up at the crack of dawn, smiling at me when I opened my eyes.

"What are you smiling about, hmmm?" I said, blowing a raspberry on his neck, causing him to laugh. After changing his diaper, I headed downstairs to let my parents know I would be heading back to my house.

Over the next couple of weeks, things were pretty calm, for the most part. Victoria, was conscious and out of ICU and, I couldn't apologize enough to her and James for what happen. Of course, she did not blame me, but I still felt horrible. Paul was formerly charged with obstruction of justice, for not properly filing the police reports Bella filed. Jane was charged with tampering with evidence, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice, and is now awaiting sentencing. Aro, her brother, still has not been found.

I woke up this morning to a quiet house and I panicked, because, I realized Junior had not woken up all night. Running into his room, yeah, he has now started sleeping in his crib; I peered over into his bed and found him sleeping soundly with his knees tucked under his stomach and his bottom in the air. He was sucking on his pacifier in his sleep, which indicated he wouldn't be sleep much longer. I lightly rubbed the hair at the top of his head before heading to take a quick shower.

After showering, I realized it was after 9 A.M., so I logged into my computer to check for my morning email from Bella, but, there was nothing. I thought this was strange, but I didn't read too much into it. Instead, I sent her a quick good morning email and started to fix a bottle for Junior while I waited for her response. I decided to wake my son up, because he was sleeping longer than I thought he should and I was ready to get our day started. When I picked him up, I noticed his diaper was soaked and his skin felt hot. There was a light sheen of sweat on his little forehead. He slowly opened his eyes, but immediately frowned up and started crying.

"Oh, I'm sorry son, I know you're tired, but it's time to wake up."

He continued to cry while I changed his diaper and, when I tried to feed him, he drank about two ounces of milk and started crying again, but this time louder. I placed him on my shoulder to burp him and walked the floor with him, but he continued to yell. I then placed him in his swing as I made him a bath, hoping this would calm him, but, even after washing him up, shampooing his hair, and putting on fresh clothes, he continued to yell. He was still feeling very warm and I was starting to really worry because he never cried like this.

"What's wrong, baby? What has you so upset?" I said, rocking him back and forth

I decided to call Dr. Clearwater for some guidance and she advised me to use the digital thermometer to take his temperature in his ear. When I did, it read 103.1 degrees. She told me to give him some of the Infant's Motrin I had on his dresser and if, after an hour, his fever had not gone under 101.0 degrees or if he did not calm down, to take him in to the emergency room. I asked her if she has spoken to or seen Bella. She said she had not, but she would give her a message to email me.

After an hour, Junior did calm down and his fever broke; he was now sleeping and I checked on him every fifteen minutes. I called my mom to see if she would be stopping by, but she said she had a really busy day ahead of her and could not make it this way today. My dad said he was golfing with friends today, Alice said that she and Jazz were going out to dinner this evening, and Emmett and Rose were both working late. I was so desperate for some company that I actually called my sister Tanya and invited her and Jacob over, but she said they had plans tonight also. I couldn't believe it, everyone was too busy for me and Junior. Well, I would show them that we could do just fine, by ourselves.

I spent most of my day reading checking my email and watching television; Junior spent most of the day sleeping. He would only take a few ounces of milk at a time and I decided I was going to take him in to see his pediatrician in the morning. I still had not heard from Bella and was getting worried; I tried calling Dr. Clearwater back a couple of times, but got no answer, so I left her a message. I even tried Emily, but she said she had not spoken to Bella either. I sent Bella another email and decided I would not stress over it; if something was wrong, Dr. Clearwater and Emily would be the first to know and would have contacted me. As the evening set in, I fixed myself a frozen pizza for dinner and turned on CNN to catch up on current affairs.

At about 7 P.M., there was a light knock on my front door. I was confused because the doorman hadn't notified me of any visitors and my parents had keys, so they wouldn't knock. I muted the TV and walked to my door to answer.

"Who is it?" I said, waiting to see who my unannounced visitor was.

"Who, would you like it to be?" a familiar voice said, but my ears had to be playing tricks on me, because, it would be impossible for it to be the person I knew that voice belong to.

I swung open the door and my knees went weak, my heart pounded in my chest, my mouth went dry and my eyes filled with tears, because my entire universe, the center of my world, the reason for the breathes I take, was standing just a few feet away from me, with an entourage behind her, better known as my closest friends and family.

"Bella." It was barely audible.

"Hey there, handsome." She said, wrapping her arms around my neck and I picked her up by her waist and held on for dear life.

The mother of my son and the love of my life was home!

**A/N: Surprise! Bella's home! Next chapter will be in BPOV, and this will explain how she was able to come home a lot sooner than they anticipated. Please leave me your thoughts in a review and I will update faster! Thanks for reading and sticking with me.**


	60. Chapter 60

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**WOW! Over 100 reviews last chapter and almost 1200 reviews total! Guys, I am so blown away and incredibly grateful for all my wonderful and faithful readers! For those who just joined the story, welcome and thank you so much!**

**Special thanks again to CrookedArm, kymtwilight, lantus123, Bookloverz22, Daisy Grace, iamwriter, Stormy315, RainDanceTammy, Jasper's Women, tammy0208, MarzxD, FashanazticNerd97, pumpkinmykitty, dml089, Tiffany , DenayAmber, LexaMichelle, Twisted Musalih ,Beccahamilton95, win63, Vanquish13 cullenmeadow, StoryPainter, edwardgirl27, ebayaddict, detsinbaby, Prillylove25, blue022, sassygirl156, Kat, SistaDi, WhenIrishEyesSmile, hlq, magilin19, whisperwind1886, sshg316, Ginny W 31, stupidlamb2010, myhubbyissoedward, Bear1867, sexycanI, francesmama, Tulips at Twilight, pinkscoush, Jenn, Handa59, BookHound, acw1, Night script, witchykitty 1313, ducksandruns, crocuslady, chepburn77, mdsngrc, edaddict3254, ILoveFanFiction74, cullengirl08, D-maximum twilight, padme35, mayejrmorris, Momma Laura, Debbie White, it's simply me n you, dckdck422, Joanne10, CaliGirlMon, candy6princess,vvply01, cabal22, 07LSU, animedumplin, e6flores,Flavia Ribeiro, jadedghost22, Sakada, northGAgirl34, Isabella Esme Cullen, Isimonb63, psychovampirefreak, ksw3,FranRichards, the love we have, Mari94, power214063, nightdreamz-n-panicattacks, dreamngo4it9, Sakada Eve, michangelina, RPFANN, LunaKaleidoscope, Heather Grey, blkbttrfly, Mandita 93, MasenMarieCarlie, KRmahal, Vane3131, Bubbleybear, saintfudge, satakshipari, michiee.x.x, chris1970, Cullen Sandra, princess07890, baybay's mommy, Fen29, barbarito, boo1414, Sylvia Nguyen, tawelephant, gorgo67, notthatamanda, Jenn1214, lynne0731, haylee21, cyndi407, annagardner11, Twihard-girl, Sarah Amin, TwiFan 1980, TimelessReader, cheryl1972, Ribena-rose, elaine67, immortalwizardpirateelk-fan, frostedglaze, shae8500, maryannabella, ratih choco, Vanilla 19, Little Miss Norty, adriannamarie617, brittany86, toryatatmon, avatar1211, Santa Muerte, freakybella, ParasiteGoddess, HelloBatty, angeleyes73, mimi, sarahsauruswrex, edwardandbella4eva, lee, cusic 1981, Dougy, Dezzie, Myod777, agosbac, shilpa1983,maymay74, nanavette, Kerry Hale, krazi4TwiSaga, EdwardCullenFan1 & 104 guests for the reviews. Also thank you very much for taking the time to leave me your thoughts and theories, you guys are fantastic! Also thanks again to those who signed up to follow my story, has tagged it as a favorite and signed up for alerts.**

**To my AMAZING beta, princess07890, thanks for all that you do!**

**Chapter 59**

**Starting Over**

**BPOV**

"Isabella Swan, please raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do." I said, as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"You may be seated"

I took my seat and I said a silent prayer as the hearing began.

"Ms. Swan, I did have a chance to look over the appeal that your attorney filed and I briefly looked over the evidence submitted. Now, due to the negligence of the state of Washington in the handling of your case, I am going to treat this case with extreme care and consideration of what you're asking. What I mean by this, Ms. Swan, is that the public defender that was appointed to you in the initial trial, failed to gather and present proper evidence to sustain your not guilty plea. That alone is enough to make any court and judge reconsider sentence; but, then, there's the fact that your appeal and evidence was tampered with by another state of Washington employee, which brings me to my point.

"I'm going to give you two options here: one, I could go through this appeal process and, based on the findings, make a ruling on whether or not to send this back to court and allow you to have a trial by jury. If this is done, it will go exactly the same as your first trial, but with a new jury and new evidence, which, in turn, may render a new verdict. Or, two, I can exercise my authority as a judge, try to get the prosecutor in here today for this trial, and we can hold court right here, right now. I, along with this panel of hearing officers, will listen to all the facts and, strongly consider the new evidence admitted, including the signed confession of the former warden of this facility, who admitted to tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice. If, the prosecutor that will represent the state of Washington is not available, I will reschedule this hearing on the very next date possible. If the findings of this court are in your favor, I will sign an order for your immediate release, which with paperwork and processing will take no more than a couple of weeks. However, if the findings of this court are not in your favor, you will continue to serve your sentence and would not be able to file another appeal, to have this case tried in a higher court, for one hundred eighty days. Do you fully understand your options, Miss Swan?"

"Yes, your honor." I answered, and then turned to Emily to try to see what her thoughts were.

"Do you need a minute to confer with your attorney?" The judge asked.

"Um, yes, your honor; I definitely need a chance to speak with my client." Emily said; standing and motioning for me to follow her. She led me into a small conference room just across the hall from the courtroom.

Upon entering the room, Emily quickly closed the door and turned to me with a look I couldn't place.

"So, what do you think of the judge's offer to hold trial here today?" I asked, feeling a little more than hopeful for some reason.

"Bella, I don't. What I mean is I don't think that's such a good idea. I've been an attorney for a long time and rarely have I seen these trials go in the defendant's favor."

"I don't know if I agree with you, Emily; I mean, I have a pretty good feeling about the trial being held here, today."

"That's because you're anxious to get out of here and I understand that, believe me, I do, but don't throw away our opportunity to do just that. If we get a new trial with a new jury, where, with the evidence we have submitted, the people deciding your fate will be ordinary citizens like you, who will be way more sympathetic of what you went through than a panel of hearing officers who work for the very state trying to keep you behind bars, Bella." Emily said, speaking with more aggression than I'd ever heard her use towards me.

"Emily, this is the same board that pushed to get my case heard again as soon as possible; if they were looking to keep me here, they could have simply sat on this case for months before even considering it for an appeal hearing." I argued, feeling a little agitated at how pessimistic she was being about this.

"What if this is a ploy to keep your case from getting to a higher court that would rule in your favor, huh? What if these are Jane's people, then what? If we do this and this does not go in your favor, Edward will have my ass, and trust me, Bella, I've seen the damage that Edward can cause when he doesn't get his way. It's not a price I'm willing to pay."

"Oh my God, his paranoia has rubbed off on you now! And, for the record, he and my son are exactly why I am doing this! Now, over the last several months, I have read pages and pages of articles telling about your success as a criminal defense attorney. I read some of the case files you have won and your track record is impeccable; but, you know what makes you even more incredible as the best criminal defense attorney on the west coast? It's your integrity; the fact that, in eleven years of practicing, you've lost very few and won most of your cases, but you were never bought. It was nothing short of your pure wit and God given raw talent, that has made you come out on top every time you've stepped into a courtroom. Now, when I need a counseling session, I'll call my fucking therapist, but, right now, at this very moment, I need my damn lawyer!"

Emily hung her head in defeat and I could feel the anxiety rolling off of her. She stood staring at me, hands on her hips, with her hair in a perfect bun, makeup flawless, and her light gray suit that looked like it cost more than my last car, which ran me a couple of thousand dollars, and drew in a deep breath before finally speaking.

"Alright Bella, let's do this." She said before turning on her heels and walking back over to the courtroom.

As we entered the courtroom, the panel of hearing officers and the judge stood and then took their seats again once Emily and I were seated. Emily stood again at once and began to speak.

"Your honor, against my advisement, my client has decided she wants to go forth with a new trial today."

"Very well, it is 8:30 a.m. now, so, we will meet back here in one hour and, provided we can get a prosecutor to stand in as representation for the state of Washington, the trial will go forward this morning." The judge said while gathering papers in front her.

"All rise." The court clerk said, as the judge stood to exit the court room. Emily put some papers back in her briefcase and we, too, exited the courtroom.

"I need to go call Edward." Emily said, sounding more than exasperated.

"You will do no such thing." I said, causing her to stop walking abruptly and swing around to look at me.

"What?" Emily asked, with her brows furrowed, clearly confused by my statement.

"Bella, with all due respect, yes, it is you I represent, but it is Mr. Cullen who signs the checks." She said with a brow cocked.

"Yes, Emily, I am well aware of who pays you, but, with even greater respect, you are _my_ attorney and are bound by the attorney-client privilege; am I right?"

She slowly nodded her head, narrowing her eyes at me. I knew this was a low blow, but I needed to keep her quiet for the time being.

"This is bullshit and you know it, Bella." She seethed through clenched teeth.

"Yes, I do know it, but, it is what it is and, for now, I need you to keep this just between us. When the time comes, if necessary, _I_ will deal with Edward, but, not now."

"Fine, I'll meet you back in the conference room in five minutes." Emily said before turning and walking away.

I turned around to see the guard patiently waiting for me down the hall to escort me. Exactly five minutes later, Emily entered the small room and sat across from me at the table. She then pulled out a cigarette and lit it, inhaling the smoke as if she had been underwater and finally was able to come up for air. I sat dumfounded, because I knew Emily did not smoke.

"Well, this is new; when did you start smoking?" I asked, while waving the smoke she blew out back her way.

"Since _you, _became my client," She said, with a tight smile.

"Well, I strongly suggest you quickly kick the habit; it's highly addictive and bad for your health." I said, glaring at her.

"No one likes a quitter, right Bella?" she said, glaring right back at me

"Touché."

We sat in that room in complete silence for another thirty minutes; I was thinking and Emily read over her notes and made more notes. Finally, Emily broke the silence.

"Okay, listen, when we go back in there, I will be asked how do you plea and, of course, I will say not guilty. At that time, the trial will begin and I will give an opening statement, which will include the presentation of the new evidence. The prosecutor really is at a disadvantage here, because, unlike us, the state has no new evidence against you. We also have two signed confessions and, a notarized affidavit from Angela Weber as a witness of the domestic violence you suffered. I don't know if you will be called to the stand for the prosecutor to question, though, I highly doubt it. Are you ready?" Emily asked, as she stood and smooth down her pencil skirt.

"Yes, I'm ready." I said, saying a silent prayer before we walked back into the courtroom.

We waited another fifteen minutes and then court was back in session.

"Ms. Swan, we were able to get the prosecutor here today, so we can proceed with your case." The judge said, smiling, and I had to wonder, for the slightest of moments, if I had made the right decision.

Just as Emily had informed me, there were opening arguments, evidence presented, and closing arguments by both sides and, if I'm being perfectly honest, if Emily had any doubts about winning this case, she certainly did not show it. We sat waiting for the judge and the hearing officers to come back in the courtroom with their decision. I sat and thought about my two favorite guys and what it would be like to finally be home with them, wherever home was. I had a few pictures that Edward had taken of Junior while they were at home. Junior in the bath, in his swing, in Edward's arms sleeping, and, my favorite that Esme had taken of Edward sleeping, while Junior was asleep on his chest; he had his arm securely around his tiny body. I smiled to myself, picturing those two at home having their father and son moments. I wondered what home looked like, what Junior's bedroom looked like and, what our room would look like. Edward had said that, when I came home, that, everything he had, would also be mine, but, I guess I just couldn't wrap my mind around that fact. What exactly did that mean? My thoughts were broken when I heard the court clerk say 'all rise' and I knew this was it. This was the moment that would make or break me.

When the judge asked for the defendant to stand for the reading of the verdict, I thought I would lose consciousness. I started to sweat and my knees felt as if they might give from under me, as I stood powerless, waiting for my fate to be read to me; and then the judge started talking.

"Ms. Swan, after careful consideration of all the new evidence and statements submitted in this case, along with your own written statement that was submitted with your appeal request by your attorney; this court has no other choice but, to dismiss all former charges against you for involuntary manslaughter, as there was never enough adequate evidence against you, in your first trial, to sustain a conviction. I am hereby ordering for your release process to begin immediately, case dismissed, and this court is now adjourned." The judge said, slamming her gavel and rising from her seat to leave the courtroom followed by her hearing officers.

I stood, dumbfounded and slowly turned to Emily, who was wearing the biggest grin I had ever seen.

"You did it, Emily." I said, as the tears started flowing.

"No, I can't take credit for this alone, _we_ did it, because, had you not gone, with your gut feeling, we wouldn't be here with this victory." She said as she pulled me into a hug with her own tears flowing now. I don't know how long we stood there hugging and crying, but, after a while, we heard someone clear their throat. We turned to see the guard waiting on us.

"Oh, sorry, we will be right out." Emily said, while quickly gathering her things.

"So, what now, Emily? I mean, when can I go home?" I asked, more anxious than ever now.

"Well, they will start to process you out in the next seventy two hours. The judge will sign off on all paperwork and have it entered into the system for your release. The entire process takes about ten to fourteen days, or, sometimes, sooner. Come on, we have to go call Edward; he is going to be ecstatic." Emily said as we exited the courtroom, the guard closely in tow.

"Emily, wait." I said, making her halt in her steps and turn towards me.

"What's wrong, Bella?"

"Nothing, for the first time, everything's right. It's just… Edward, he's given me so much. More than anyone has ever given me and I just want to be able to give him back a piece of the love and kindness he's given me."

"Bella, having you home with him, along with that beautiful son you have, will be all that Edward will need from you."

"I know, but, if you don't mind, I would like to surprise him. When you call, tell him I won the appeal, but don't mention my release. However, I will need for you to discreetly tell Esme, Carlisle, and Alice, because I will need their help to pull this off."

Emily nodded with an understanding smile gracing her face and we continued down the hall. Eleven days later, I was released from the Washington Correctional Center for Women. It was Esme, Tanya, Rose, and Alice who picked me up and we stood in the parking lot, along with Leah, crying for I don't know how long.

"Okay, Leah, here is my address. We we'll all meet there at 6:15 p.m." Esme said, wiping tears from her face.

For the next several hours, I went through a complete makeover. I had parts of my body waxed that I never dreamed of; my hair was shampooed, cut and styled, I was given a full body massage, I received a manicure and pedicure, I had a facial that was to die for, and, once my makeup was done, I did not recognize myself. Nothing too heavy, just a very flawless, natural look; to top off this incredible day, Esme bought me more clothes than I have ever owned in my life. I swear Alice and Rose bought me a pair of shoes to match each outfit. When I tried to refuse, my pleas fell on deaf ears.

"You'll never win that argument, trust me, so, just let them pamper you." Tanya leaned over and whispered to me, while we sat at a restaurant, too fancy for my pocket book, eating lunch.

After lunch and hitting a few more clothing stores, we went back to Esme and Carlisle's house to relax, until it was time to go to Edward's house. Edward had called Esme, Alice and Tanya while we were out, asking if any of them were stopping by; they all made up excuses, of course. Time was moving too slowly and I just wanted to be in his arms, to feel his body against mine, and to hold my son without time restrictions. Alice dressed me in a simple light blue sundress, with light blue and silver sandals and silver accessories.

As Esme instructed everyone met at their house by 6:15 p.m. to be ready to head over to Edward's. There was Carlisle, Esme, Tanya, Jacob, and me in Carlisle's Escalade, Jasper and Alice in their car, Emmett and Rose in Emmett's Jeep, and, Emily and Leah in their cars. Garrett would meet us there later, as he had some leads on Aro Volturi's whereabouts.

We pulled up in front of Edward's building at about 6:40 and the knot in my stomach grew. This was all surreal and, I was afraid I would wake up only to find that this was all a dream and I was back at the prison, in my cell.

"Hello Thomas, how are you?" Esme said to the doorman as all eleven of us marched into the lobby of the building.

"Good evening ma'am, shall I phone Mr. Cullen?" He said, picking up the phone.

"_**NO!"**_ everyone shouted, successfully scaring the living shit out poor Thomas, who stood wide eyed with the phone in his hand.

"Um… sorry, Thomas, we'll use our spare key, this is sort of a surprise visit." Carlisle said, chuckling.

"Oh, I see, well ,then, in that case, I'll call the elevator for you guys."

"Will all of us fit in the elevator?" Emmett asked, earning a glare from Rose.

"Just come on." Rose said, grabbing Emmett's hand.

Two minutes later, we arrived to the penthouse on the top floor and, as the elevator opened, I had to blink because surely this wasn't real. There was a round cherry wood table in the middle of the hall with a very large flower centerpiece. To the left was a ceiling to floor window and to my right was a huge picture of the 'Paris'-Arc de Triomphe' in Paris and this made me smile, because I had once told Edward if I could visit anywhere in the world, it would be Paris. The floor was white marble and appeared to have small bits of crystals throughout it with the way it sparkled. There was one large, dark brown wooden door before us with a gold door knocker attached to it.

Alice was bouncing up and down, which made me even more nervous and I was grateful when Jasper grabbed both her shoulders and stilled her.

"Are you ready, honey?" Esme asked with a smile and all I could do was nod.

"Don't worry, we're all here, go ahead and knock." Carlisle encouraged, and, after clearing my throat, I took in a deep breath and used the door knocker to knock.

After about a minute or so, I heard the only voice that could ever make my heart pound almost out of my chest and send shivers to all my girly parts.

"Who is it?" Edward asked, from the other side of the door.

"Who, would you like it to be? I asked, and with the words barely out of my mouth, the door swung open and there he was in all his glory, staring at me wide eyed with a look of pure disbelief.

"Bella." He whispered, as he took all of me in.

"Hey there, handsome." I said before throwing my arms around his neck and, as I did, he picked me up by my waist and held me to him while burying his face in my neck.

"Oh, Bella, baby, you're here… how are you here?" he murmured into my hair while placing kisses on my neck.

He finally set me down on my feet and grabbed my face on either side and passionately kissed my lips and I immediately parted them, allowing his tongue to desperately dance with mine. When we finally did break the kiss, it was only so that we could breathe and he continued to pepper my face all over with soft, wet kisses.

"I love you, Bella, so damn much, baby, I love you." He said as he claimed my lips again, while one of his hands rested on the side of my neck and the other tangled in my hair, holding the back of my head firmly in place.

I don't know how long we stood there kissing, but, finally, someone clearing their throat, reminded us of the other ten people standing in the hall who were waiting to come in.

After whispering another 'I love you' to Edward, I turned and smiled at my new family and friends.

"Sorry guys, please come in." Edward said moving me to his side, but, never breaking our contact.

After everyone was inside and seated, I turned to Edward and asked the question that had been running through my head since he opened the door.

"Where is he?"

"He's sleeping in his nursery, come on." Edward said pulling my hand and leading me down a hall, past three rooms and finally stopped at the fourth one.

He nudged open the door and walked over to turn on a small Snoopy lamp, sitting on top of a honey oak wood six drawer dresser. It matched the crib, changing table, and, rocking chair. The floor was a slightly darker colored wood, with a huge rug in the center of it with the Peanuts Gang on it. The entire theme of the room was Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts Gang, which is exactly what I told Alice and Esme I wanted. There were horizontal wood looking blinds at the windows that matched the furniture with a Peanuts Gang valance at the top.

I approached the crib with more excitement than I have ever felt in my life and there he was, sleeping like an angel. I couldn't stop the tears from falling and, I covered my mouth to keep from waking him. There was a Snoopy mobile hanging on the crib that matched the comforter and sheet set and the diaper stacker hanging from the side of the crib. There was a baby monitor clipped to the outside of the crib and I assumed the other one was wherever Edward was in this apartment before we arrived.

I felt Edward wrap his arms around my waist and rest his chin on my shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, whispering into my ear.

Too choked up to speak, I simply nodded while leaning back into him.

"Thank you." I finally managed to say through my sobs.

"For what?" he asked as he turned me around to face him.

"For giving all this to him… to us. I mean, my God, Edward, look at this room; it's every mother's dream to be able to provide this life for their children and, when I found out I was pregnant with him, I never dreamt of this for him."

"There is nothing I won't give or do for you or him. I want to provide the life that you were robbed of and show you that not all men are bad." He said, leveling me and looking into my eyes.

"I know you do." I said nodding as more tears came.

"I still can't believe that you are actually here, like right here in front of me and no one can take you away." He said, squeezing me tightly to his chest.

I could feel him placing soft kisses on top of my head as I buried my face in his chest. I don't know how long we stood like that, but Junior began to stir.

"He's waking up." I said with a gasp quickly turning my head towards the crib.

"He may be a little cranky, babe; he hasn't felt very well today and I was planning to take him… well, now, _we_, can take him to the doctor in the morning."

"What?! What do you mean hasn't felt well? What's wrong with my baby?" I said, rushing back over to the crib to pick him up and, I could feel the panic creeping up my spine.

I cradled him to my chest and as he squirmed in my arms trying to wake up, he let out a wail that caused my heart to almost pound out of my chest. I had never heard him cry this way and suddenly I was lost; I did not know what to do to help him. I put him on my shoulder and rocked back and forth, but he continued to cry loudly and I could feel myself shaking as the fear rose in my body. I turned to Edward wide eyed and he seemed to be a lot calmer than me.

"Why is he crying like this? Is he in pain? Did something happen to him? Why are you just standing there looking at me, Edward?" I yelled, question after question, waiting for him to answer, which he never did.

Edward simply walked over, took Junior out of my arms, and, placed him on his changing table. Junior continued to yell, but Edward never panicked like I was doing. I saw him reach under the table and grab the infant's Motrin; he proceeded to calmly measure it and squeeze it into the side of Junior's mouth. I stood there, dumbfounded, feeling so out of place and not knowing what to do or say.

After changing his diaper, during which Junior never stopped crying, he picked him up and cradled him in his arms. It took our about another five minutes before he started to calm down and I still had not moved from the spot where I stood. I could feel the tears that were stinging my eyes as I watched Edward speak softly to Junior and effectively soothed him until he was quiet.

"Is everything alright in here?" I looked up to see Esme peeking her head into the room and I gave her a weak smile, but it was the best I could do at the moment.

"Yeah, everything's fine, mom; can you just give us a few and we'll be out?" Edward said, walking over and kissing his mother's cheek, before softly closing the door behind her.

He then walked over to me and gently grabbed my elbow while leading me to the rocking chair; he motioned with a nod of his head for me to sit and I immediately complied. He then gently laid a now placid Junior in my arms and knelt down in front of me. When I looked down at my son, he had almost his whole fist in his mouth and was sucking on it.

Edward reached behind me and handed me the feeding cloth hanging on the back of the rocking chair

"I'm sorry." I said, feeling guilty for yelling at Edward earlier.

"Shhh, he's hungry." He said, shaking his head and placing a finger over my mouth. "I want you to nurse him, please." He said, looking at me with a smile that took my breath away

As I began to feed Junior, Edward was rubbing the top of his head and gently placed a kiss on my lips, before sitting on the floor next to the chair.

"Don't apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for; as a mother, you should be worried about our son. I googled his symptoms earlier and I think that he either is catching a cold, or has developed an ear infection. He has had a fever a couple of times today and that's why I am giving him the Motrin. We can take him to the pediatrician together in the morning, ok?"

I nodded, while still fighting back tears. I was so used to my home life being a chaotic mess, that Edward's serene approach to me being upset, was very unfamiliar territory for me.

"This is the most he has eaten all day." Edward said, dipping his head toward Junior.

"Really, he hasn't been eating either?"

"No, just mostly sleeping, but I did what Dr. Clearwater told me and it seems to have worked."

"Leah knew Junior was sick?" I asked, shocked that she had not mentioned anything to me.

"Babe, please calm down; I'm sure if she thought it was something serious, she would have told you. She probably didn't want to ruin your surprise for me and I'm glad she didn't worry you."

"I guess you're right." I said, barely a whisper.

After feeding and burping junior, he fell back to sleep, just like Edward said. We joined the rest of our company and ate dinner, which was pizza ordered by Alice. Once dinner was over, everyone said their goodbyes with the promise of stopping by later tomorrow. Emily told Edward that Garrett says he is sorry for not being able to stop by, but, would touch basis with him later tomorrow. I was grateful for the peace and quiet after the hectic day I had. I love Edward's family, I really do, but I was ready for alone time with the two men in my life.

Edward gave me quick tour of our home, which is a three bedroom penthouse condo; the third bedroom is Edward's office. It also includes a formal living and dining room, a huge eat-in kitchen, a laundry room, and a family room. I had never lived anywhere half as nice as this place and, once again, I felt out place and suddenly inadequate.

"Do you mind if I take a shower?" I asked after we were in what was now _our_ bedroom.

"Bella, this is your home; you don't have to ask me to do anything. Alice and Jasper brought these bags of clothes up while we were in the room talking. Looks like you ladies went on quite the shopping spree. I'm sure you enjoyed _that_," He said, smirking and raising an eyebrow, knowing how much I really did _not_ enjoy shopping.

"I appreciate them, honestly I do, but Esme, Alice, and, Rose should be banned from shopping. I thought one of their credit cards was going to explode from being over used. I mean, they really rolled out the red carpet for me today" I said, laughing at the memory of how many clothes and shoes they bought me.

"You deserve to be treated like the princess you are and I will be your Prince Charming for as long as you'll have me." He said, wrapping his arms around my waist.

He patted my ass and kissed the tip of my nose before sending me to take a shower. I stripped out of my clothes and stepped into the streaming hot water. The shower walls and floor were all marble with glass sliding doors and I felt like I was in heaven. I was able to take a shower without time restrictions or other people standing around just a few feet from me. I reveled in the feel of the hot water running down my body, relaxing every tense muscle of mine.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, I suddenly felt very self-conscious and looking at the Adonis sitting on the edge of the bed shirtless in just pajama bottoms did nothing for my ego.

"I don't think we bought anything for me to sleep in." I said, while standing by the bathroom door.

Edward got up and walked over to his dresser and pulled out a t shirt and handed it to me.

"I hope this will do until tomorrow and we can go get you some sleepwear." He said; smiling at me and all my girly parts woke up. I felt like someone had started a fire between my thighs.

"Yes, this is fine." I said, hoping he could not see the blush I felt on my face as I turned to go back in the bathroom.

When I came out the bathroom, Edward was not in the bedroom, so I quickly put on a pair of the panties that was in a shopping bag full of underwear and lingerie; of course, that was Alice's doing. I sat on the bed, not knowing whether to climb under the covers, or wait for Edward to return and, just when I decided to go with the former, the bedroom door opened and Edward walked in with two mugs.

"I thought some tea before bed would help you relax." He said, handing me one of the mugs and, just like that I felt like I was right where I was supposed to be. We talked, laughed, cried, kissed, caressed and held each other all night and, for the first time in my life, I felt like someone loved me, truly loved me. I fell asleep with Edward holding me in his arms, praying that, when I wake up, this is not a dream.

**A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been a while since I posted and, I apologize. I made this chapter a lot longer than usual and I hope you all enjoy it. Please read and leave me your thoughts in a review. Thank you for sticking with me and I will get to working on the next chapter.**


	61. Chapter 61

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**To my SUPERB beta, princess07890, thanks for all that you do!**

**Chapter 60**

**Fitting In**

**BPOV**

I felt a pair of strong arms around me and, I thought to myself, I never wanted to wake up from this dream. The bed was so comfortable and had never sleep been this restful for me. I could smell him as if he were actually here with me; I smiled to myself and I snuggled closer to him in my dream and his arms tightened around me.

"I love you." He said, kissing the side of my neck and I gasped and shot up as I realized I was not dreaming.

"Edward" I said, and I could hear the panic in my own voice.

After turning on the bedside lamp, he turned to me and cautiously spoke.

"What's wrong, Bella?

"I thought was dreaming and that I was still at the prison, but, I...I…I'm here and you're here, like really here." I said, and I could not stop the tears.

"Hey, this is a good thing, love. I know it's overwhelming, but, you're home now, safe and sound." He said, lifting my chin up and looking down at me. He placed a soft kiss on my lips and the heat between my legs was back.

Edwards used the pads of his thumbs to wipe my face and then he kissed me again, but, this time, I reciprocated with just as much passion as he, no longer able to ignore the ache between my legs. I wanted him and had felt this way for months now; but not just in the sexual way, no, I wanted all of him, his mind, his heart, his soul, and, his body, to cherish forever. As our mouths continue to move together, I felt his fingers graze my bare thigh and I moaned into his mouth at how right this felt. I tangled my fingers in his hair at the back of his neck and ran my nails across his scalp, eliciting a moan from him.

I let my other hand run down his toned biceps, his strong chest and his perfect six-pack, wanting to feel him against me. As if reading my mind, he slowly lay me down on my pillow and pressed his body against mine as he continues to assault me lips. I took in a sharp breath as I felt his hand rub across my bare skin on my stomach and his fingertips brushed against the bottom of my breast. The sensation sent another wave of heat between my thighs and I could feel my nipples harden as I rubbed my legs together, needing the friction.

"I love you." I whispered into his ear as he placed soft kisses down my neck while raising the t-shirt I was wearing up. He sat me up and lifted the shirt over my head, exposing my breasts to him, and, as he sat back on his heels, oddly, I did not feel uncomfortable like I thought I would.

"You are so beautiful and perfect, Bella." He said, sitting back and pulling me onto his lap, bringing our bare chests together and the sensation of our bodies touching sent a shiver through my entire being, leaving me wanting to feel him inside of me. I needed to feel Edward inside of me; as much as I needed him to show him how much I loved and appreciated the _man_ he was to me and our son.

As he continued to suck on my neck, I felt his fingers rubbing one of my nipples and I was sure he could feel the wetness of my panties, even through his pajama bottoms. He licked the tips of his fingers and gently continued to rub one nipple and then repeated that same action with the next and the moisture from his fingers mixed with the cool air made my nipples throb. I could feel his rock hard cock twitching beneath me and I ground my hips into him, needing the friction and I reclaimed his mouth.

"Fuck, Bella, baby, you are so wet." He said as he pushed his hand into my panties and swiped two fingers across my clit, making me throw my head back and moan. Never had I been touched like this; never had I ever felt so sexy, so wanted, so needed, and so loved.

"Shit, please, Edward." I begged as my pussy dripped for him and, when he sank two fingers deep into me, I closed my eyes and I saw an eagle spread its wings and soar through the sky.

As his long fingers pumped in and out of me, he flicked his tongue across one nipple and then the next, bringing me closer to the edge.

"Is this what you want, baby? Come on, Bella, let go for me." He whispered into my ear, and I did just that.

I let go, of all the insecurities, the hurt, the pain, the worry, and, the sadness that I had held onto for so many years. For once, I allowed myself to feel something other than sorrow; I allowed him into a space that had grown cold, so many years ago, and, had felt dead for so long, my heart.

"Edward, oh Edward, yes." I screamed, as I felt myself tightened around his fingers as my orgasm washed over me. He continued to pump his fingers in and out of me, while rubbing my clit with his thumb, making my orgasm last longer than I had ever experienced in my lifetime.

As I came down and back to reality, I slumped forward with my forehead on his shoulder, trying to get control of my breathing. As he removed his hand from my panties, I, once again, felt his throbbing cock underneath me and, I knew he needed his own release. I lay back on the bed and began to remove my panties and he stood and mirrored my action, removing his pajama pants and boxer shorts. Holy shit, I thought as I watched him spring free. Was all of that supposed to fit inside of me; I couldn't help but think as I swallowed hard. Edward crawled back in bed beside me and turned on his side, leaning on his elbow.

"Are you ready for this, because, we don't have…." I cut him off with a kiss and then pulled back to look into his eyes.

"I'm ready, I love you, and I _want_ you."

"Do I need to wear a condom?"

"Well, before I left, Leah gave me the shot; so I'm good for three months, but, I don't know… do you need to wear a condom?" I asked, fearful of his answer.

"Bella, I have not been with anyone since I met you, and maybe even a month or two before that, but, I love you, and I will wear a condom, if you want me to; it's not a problem." He whispered as he kissed my nose and then my lips, and, there it was; the answer that I wanted to hear.

I pulled him on top of me, more sure than I had ever been about anything, in my entire life; I was sure I wanted this, wanted him, right now, and forever.

Edward positioned himself between my legs and I could feel the tip of his cock at my entrance. I squirmed under him, wanting to feel him inside of me. Once again, I was soaked and wet, aching for him to claim all of me and, with one strong thrust, he filled me completely. I gasped at the sting, so he stilled to allow me time to adjust to his size. He slowly began to pump in and out, and I could feel my wetness lubricating him, replacing the sting with pure pleasure as he hit me in just the right spot with a swivel of his hips.

"Christ, Bella, you are so tight, baby. You feel so damn good." He said, his breathing getting heavier and then, I felt that familiar tightening in my stomach and knew I was almost there.

Edward began pumping faster as he buried his face in my neck.

"Fuck, Bella, I'm coming baby, I'm coming." He said, as he thrust hard in and out, pulsating and releasing inside of me. As he pummeled into me, I, too, found my release while wrapping my legs around his lower back and digging my heels into his ass.

We both lay there, spent, and, trying to regain our composure and breath; as if on cue, our son picked the perfect time to command our attention. We both looked at each other and, laughed as the sound of him wailing came through the baby monitor, making both of us scurry to get dressed and give him the attention he demanded.

Edward quickly threw on his boxers and a t-shirt, washed his hands and ran to get Junior. I jumped up and jumped in the shower, so that I could nurse him. I quickly washed up and rinsed myself thoroughly, before stepping out and wrapping myself in a towel. When I stepped into our bedroom, Edward had Junior, who was sucking a pacifier, on his shoulder.

He gave our son to me and I sat in the chair across from our bed, lowered my towel from over my chest, and began feeding him.

"Welcome home, mom." Edward whispered, leaning down and softly kissing my lips.

"Thanks for having me, dad." I whispered back, smiling up at him.

**A/N: FINALLY! Some lemony goodness! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and please leave me your thoughts in a review. Thanks again!**


	62. Chapter 62

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**To my SUPERB beta, princess07890, thanks for all that you do!**

**Chapter 61**

**Family Time**

**EPOV**

"It's okay baby, don't cry." Bella said, as Dr. Carter checked our son's ears for signs of an infection.

"Does she have to stick that thing so far in his ear?" I whispered in Bella's ear, while glaring at the pediatrician.

"She's not causing him anymore pain and, yes, she needs to be able to see the inside of his ear."

I sat back in my seat, thinking to myself, that if she continued to make my little prince cry like this, I'd like to shove something in her ear and see how she handles it. Sensing my uneasiness, Bella reached over, grabbed my hand, and gave it a light squeeze. I closed my eyes and, took a deep breath. Then, suddenly, the crying stopped and, I opened my eyes to see that Dr. Carter had picked Junior up from the exam table and, was now holding him in her arms. She came and placed him in Bella's arms, before taking a seat in front of her computer. She was a beautiful woman; she was average height, had very smooth caramel toned skin, long flowing black hair that was in soft spiral curls down her back, was very shapely, and had the oddest colored eyes; a mixture between light brown and hazel. With that being said, she still couldn't hold a candle to my Bella, but, she was a very attractive woman.

"Okay, so little Edward here does indeed have an ear infection, so, I am going to put him on an antibiotic for ten days and, you guys can continue to use infant's Tylenol or Motrin for pain management. Try to make sure that when he's eating, milk doesn't runs into his ears, and, also, when bathing him, be sure not to get water in his ears. I would like to see him back here in two weeks and, at that time, he will be due for a couple of shots. "

"Shots! Like with a needle?" I asked, with raised eyebrows.

"Um, yes, I… don't think they've come out with another method for giving immunizations yet." Dr. Carter said, with a slight chuckle, but I found no humor in the sadistic act of sticking a needle into my son.

"Well, obviously, modern day medicine hasn't come along far enough." I retorted back, earning me a glare and a poke to my ribs by Bella.

We left the doctor's office shortly after and, with a sleeping Junior, we headed to get something to eat. Bella was quiet most of the ride to the pancake house not too far from our condo. After being seated, Bella started looking over the menu and I started doing the same, wondering why she was so quiet.

"You know, you would think that with all the technology they use in the medical field and with the cost of health insurance, they would have figured out a damn way to give babies medicine besides sticking a needle in them. That's just so torturous to me, and, not to mention, sometimes, they have to get three or four shots in one day; a bunch of sadistic idiots making a lot of damn money." I snorted, while continuing to scan the breakfast menu.

"I was just thinking something similar; with so many loopholes in the law, you have all these idiots who practice it and still can't figure out how to keep innocent victims out of jail!" Bella snapped back, glaring at me over her menu and I looked at her with my brows raised in shock.

Then suddenly, like a freight train, it hit me. She was upset at me belittling the one thing she was passionate about, medicine. It is the career path she has chosen, just as mine had been law.

"Oh, God, Bella… you're right, I _am_ an idiot. I'm so sorry… I wasn't thinking, please forgive me."

"Yes, when Edward, Jr. gets his shots, it will hurt him, but it won't kill him; in fact, it will help him in the long run. Just like me being in prison, it hurt me, but, it didn't kill me; in fact, it saved me, I mean, after all, it led me to you." She said, with a smile playing on her lips.

Visions from the night before flooded my mind and, my cock strained against my boxer briefs. Bella licked her lips while putting a strand of hair behind her ear. I groaned silently, wishing we were at home so that I could be inside of her once again.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" She asked, looking up at me through her long lashes.

_Fucking you into oblivion! _

"Whatever you want to do, sweetheart." I said, clearing my throat, trying to clear the thought of Bella lying spread eagle across our bed.

"I kind of just want to rest; yesterday was a very exhausting day, if you know what I mean." She said, with a hopeful expression.

"That just fine by me." I said, smiling back.

"Plus, I wanted to start filling out job applications online." She said, looking down and, pushing her food around her plate with her fork.

"Job applications? I'm sorry… did I miss something; should I go call my accountant, are we broke or something?" I said, wondering why Bella felt like she needed to get a job.

"No, _you_ are not broke, however, I am not as accomplished as you, yet." She said, still not meeting my gaze.

"Bella, look at me. What are you thinking right now? Have I said or done something to make you think that I would not take care of you?"

"I have to provide for me and my son."

"_Our_. Son. Please don't refer to him as _your_ son in my presence." I said, through clenched teeth.

"I know, that he's _our_ son, Edward, but, I cannot sit around like the little spoiled girl waiting for her millionaire fiancé to come home and play house."

Okay, now she was pissing me off!

"Excuse me, so is that what you think I've been doing, playing fucking house?"

"Edward, all I am saying is I need security and, I have never expected you to give that to me. Legally, he is _my_ responsibility and no one else's."

"Do you honestly think I give two shits about legalities when it comes to him? I love him, end of story!" I whisper shouted, trying not to draw attention to our table.

"Please, don't yell at me, Edward." She said, quietly looking down at the table.

"Look, I know that prick of an ex husband of yours did a pretty fucked up head job on you, but I'm not that guy and you need to get that through your head." I said, trying my best to understand where all this was coming from.

"I've depended on other people all my life and eventually things change; I've seen it too many times."

"This is not a damn hobby for me, Bella; I'm not going to change."

"You don't know that?"

"You know, whatever Bella, because this whole conversation is bullshit; tell me the real fucking problem or stop talking to me!" The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to filter and I instantly regretted what I had just said.

She stood, glaring down at me and went to grab the handle of the carrier Junior was still asleep in.

"I'll meet you back at the condo." She said as she began to pick him up.

"Leave him." I said, not looking up at her.

"Excuse me?"

"If you want to go stomping down the street like someone just stole your damn bike, be my guest, but _he_ is going to ride in a nice quiet car the four blocks home." I said, before picking up my coffee and taking a sip.

Bella stood there like she had an internal battle going on and, I knew if I did not allow her to take Junior with her, she would not leave. She slowly lowered herself back down to her seat with tears in her eyes and I realized at that moment, we needed to talk. There was a lot that needed to be sorted out between us. Bella is feeling like a burden and that is just unacceptable, because she was anything but that. How could I make her see that she was everything to me and I could never live without her or my son? I will do whatever I have to prove to her that I will never leave her side.

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed chapter 61. Please read and review; I will try to get another one up tonight. Thanks for reading.**


	63. Chapter 63

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**To my incredible beta, princess07890, thanks for all that you do!**

**Chapter 62**

**Unfamiliar Territory**

**EPOV **

Bella and I sat in an uncomfortable silence and, I felt like the biggest ass in the world when I saw the tears streaming down her face. I needed to get her out of here; I needed to get her home.

"Bella, I…I… let's go home, okay?" I asked, not really knowing what to say to fix this.

Bella nodded her head as she swiped at the tears running down her cheeks. After paying for our meal, I went back to the table to grab Junior, who was now awake. I gave him his pacifier, hoping this would appease him until we were home. Bella was silent for the short ride home and she kept her head turned toward her window, but I knew she was crying, no matter how quiet she tried to be. On the elevator, she kept her eyes on the changing floor numbers and, when we reached the penthouse, she bolted out of the elevator and stood at the front of our condo door. I slowly walked up behind her and sat Junior's carrier down, before resting my chin on her shoulder and whispering in her ear.

"Please talk to me. Tell me what it is you need from me." I said, and I could feel her shoulders shaking as she continued to sob.

"I need you to trust me, Bella, please." I said, and, I felt her nod slightly. I reached around her and unlocked the door so that we could go inside. Once inside, Bella went straight to our room and Junior chose this moment to announce that he was hungry. I looked down at my son crying, took him out of his carrier, and put him over my shoulder.

"I know, little prince, but, mommy needs me too." I said, kissing the side of his head while walking to the kitchen to heat up a bottle.

"I can nurse him." I heard Bella say, just as I took a bottle from the fridge.

I turned to see her leaning against the doorframe, with red rimmed eyes; it broke my heart.

"Are you sure, because I can feed him this time." I said, wanting to give her time to regroup.

"Yes, I'm sure; just let me wash my hands first and if you could bring him in the bedroom." She said before turning and heading back to our bedroom's en suite.

I followed her into our bedroom and grabbed the feeding cloth off the back of the chair in our room, along with getting her Boppy feeding pillow for him. When she came out of the bathroom, she had removed her top and, was wearing only her bra; my cock instantly became hard again. Jesus, she had to know what she was doing to me. Trying to keep the sexual thoughts out of my head for the moment, I placed our son in her arms and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, before turning to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" She asked, very quietly.

"I was going to throw a load of his clothes in the washer." I said, knowing that could wait, but not wanting her to see how horny I was at the moment.

"That can wait, Edward, we can't; let's talk about this." She said, pointing between her and me.

"I don't want you upset while you're nursing him." I said, with a dip of my chin towards Junior.

"Then, don't upset me."

"I'm not sure I know how to do that, Bella." I said, being very honest with her.

"I'm afraid, Edward." She whispered, while looking down.

"I know you are, and, you have every reason to be, I won't begrudge you that; but, do you have any idea how much I love you? How much I am not willing to let you fail again. I don't have all the answers, Bella, but, I will be, whoever it is you and Junior need me to be, if you let me. Just… baby, please, just trust me and give us a chance. Don't put limits or restrictions on our love and what we are capable of, together, because, we can love each other past our hurt, past our fears, and past our insecurities. It's not going to be easy and, I'm sure we both have a lot to learn about each other, but, we enjoy the highs and we hold on to each other through the lows."

I found myself now kneeling be the side of the chair, caressing her soft face as she nursed. Tears fell silently down her cheeks and I kissed all of them away, while still softly caressing her cheek. I then placed a kiss on the top of our son's head, who was still nursing, oblivious to mom and dad's anxiety.

"I love you, so much, and, I… I… just… I don't know how…"

"Shhh, we'll talk later, I promise, but, right now, let's let him eat in peace, okay?" I said, smiling at her, just wanting to take away the sad expression on her face.

She nodded and smiled back and I left her to it, while I threw that load of clothes in the washer. We had a lot to talk about, some ground rules to lay down, and some hurdles to get over, but, no matter what, I will never let her give up on herself or us.

**A/N: Okay, so some of you were mad at Bella last chapter and some were mad at Edward. Guys, try to remember, these two really have only spent time together at the prison, where they were being watched at all times and on time constraints. With that being said, they are not used to being around each other with no restrictions and they certainly are not used to living together. He is overprotective and determined to take care of her and she is determined to never put herself in a situation of being totally dependent on someone again, especially now that she has a baby. Please be patient with these two, and allow for human errors. Thanks for reading and please continue to leave me your thoughts, I love them!**


	64. Chapter 64

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**As always, thank you, princess07890, you are the best!**

**Chapter 63**

**Expectations**

**EPOV **

"Thanks mom, we'll pick him back up in a few hours." I said, as Bella and I left my parents' house after dropping Junior off.

She tried to convince us to let him stay overnight, but, we weren't ready to be separated from him that long quite yet. It had been three days since Bella and I had had our misunderstanding and things have been going pretty smooth for us. We had agreed we would take a day to sit down and discuss our wants and our expectations, and, today is that day.

We woke early this morning with the intention of visiting Victoria in the hospital and, spending some much needed time together, bonding.

"Do you think he will be okay?" Bella asked, as we pulled out of my parents' driveway.

"I wouldn't leave him if I didn't think so, love." I said, giving her knee a reassuring squeeze and the feel of her soft skin sent shivers through me straight to my cock and, evidently, affected her, too, because I could see her shifting in her seat.

The last few nights have been active, to say the least, with Bella in full sexual swing, even surprising me one night when she joined me in the shower unannounced. Making love to Bella was the closest thing to being in heaven I'm sure and I couldn't get enough. Junior's room, of course, was strictly off limits, but apparently, all the other ones were not; I'll never look at my office desk the same again. well, not without picturing Bella on top of it.

"I hope you are thinking about me." Bella said, bringing my attention back to her.

"Hmm, what did you say, sweetheart?"

"I said, I hope I am the reason for that smile on your face." She said, with a raised brow.

"Always, love, always." I said, kissing the knuckles on the hand I was holding.

We pulled into the hospital parking lot a little after 9 a.m. and made our way into the hospital. After getting our visitor's passes, we stopped at the gift shop to get balloons and a card, then, we made our way up to Victoria's room. James was planting a kiss on her lips when we walked in.

"Um, I think they have you in the wrong kind of room; you guys need a hotel room." I said, winking playfully at Victoria.

"Edward, how are you?" she said, smiling.

"I should be asking you that question; how do feel?"

"I am doing well, so they tell me, and, I will actually get to go home next week."

"Well, I can't tell you how glad I am to hear that, and, to see you alive and well; that was quite a scare and I am so sorry." I said, feeling guilty for ever doubting her.

"Stop it, this is not your fault; you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Victoria, this is my fiancé, Bella." I said, wrapping my arm around her waist and bringing her closer.

"You're not going to pass out on me again this time; are you? Because I won't have the strength to help you this time," Victoria said, with a playful smile holding no malice and Bella turned three shades of red darker.

"I can't thank you enough for…everything." Bella said, with such sincerity in her voice and Victoria reached for her hand.

"You are more than welcome and, I'm glad to see things worked out for you."

"Yes, they certainly did."

"Edward, Bella, this is my fiancé, James." She said, smiling up at him.

"Nice to meet you, man, you've got a strong one here." I said, shaking his hand.

"Yeah, she never ceases to amaze me." He said, smiling back at her.

"Nice to meet you also, Bella." James said, shaking her hand.

We stayed at the hospital a little over an hour before heading back home to relax and have our talk. After changing out of my clothes, and into sweats and a t-shirt, I headed to the kitchen to start a late breakfast. Bella joined me, sitting at the kitchen table.

"Eggs, bacon, and toast okay?" I asked as I looked in the refrigerator for something quick and easy.

"Yes, perfect, I can help." She said, standing up.

"Nah, I've got it; you just relax, plus dinner's on you tonight." I said with a wink and a smile.

"I think I can manage that." She said, sitting back down.

After eating breakfast, Bella loaded up the dishwasher while I fixed us coffee. We settled onto the living room couch where she placed her feet on my lap and I removed her socks so that I could massage her feet to keep her relaxed.

"Oh God, that feels heavenly." She said, throwing her head back against the arm of the couch and I chuckled to myself.

We were silent for a few minutes with nothing but the sound of our breathing. Finally, Bella broke the silence.

"I want to finish school and I would like to have at least a part-time job, to at least have some money of my own. I know you said you would provide for us, and I am grateful, but I just want to feel like I'm making a contribution somewhere."

I remained quiet, allowing her to get her thoughts out clearly, without interruption.

"I also want to make sure our son is okay, that he always has what he needs the most, love and stability, something I had to do without as a child. It's a horrible place to be, Edward."

I looked up at her and nodded, letting her know I am listening and that I understand.

"Where do you see this, us, going Bella? Because, I can tell you my hopes and dreams until the cows come home but it means nothing if we are not on the same path." I said, knowing I had just opened myself up for anything.

"I want to make sure that, after the initial high that we are on ends; we are still heading in the same direction. I don't want either of us to look back and regret our decisions. I know that I love you and I know you love me, but, will that love we have stay unconditional? We're not perfect people, but, can we be perfect for each other? Do we want the same things for Junior? Do we want more children? How soon are we looking to get married? Do we both want to raise our children in Seattle? Sometimes, I may need a break; will a girls night out be something that you don't allow? Will I be able to handle a guy's night out, knowing you're in some club or bar with hundreds of other beautiful woman? Do you want to buy a house? What is your fantasy? Is it something I can fulfill, or does it require a third person to be involved?"

She fired off one question after the next and I didn't know whether to hug her or slap my hand over her mouth to stop her.

"Bella?"

"Hmm." She said, looking over at me.

"Sweetie, those are all valid questions, but we don't have to have the answers to all of them right now to make this work. As far as Junior is concerned, I think that, as long as we make decisions concerning him together and always put his best interest first, we'll be fine. As far as more children, well, yes, I would like more children, but that, too, is something we can wait for. With regards to marriage, I would marry you tomorrow if I thought my mom wouldn't have a fit about not being there, but, with that being said, I don't really plan to wait too long for that one. I've never thought about leaving Seattle, but I'm not opposed if the move would be good for us, as well as Junior. A girl's night out, as long as it's just girls, I have no problem with that; I trust you Bella, and I hope you trust me, but, I do have to say that I don't really have guy's nights out. I do want to buy a house eventually and, last but certainly not least; there is no fantasy that _I_ have that you could not fulfill all by yourself. I don't share and I would never ask you to share me."

"Good, because, sharing is a deal breaker for me; Edward, I really want this to work." She said, looking down at her hand in her lap.

I reached over and lifted her chin so that I could look into her eyes.

"Then it will, because we both want it so badly. We will be okay, I promise."

"Okay." She said with a nod.

"One more thing, or suggestion; I know you want to have your own money, so I will make a deal with you. We need a data entry person at the firm to input the billable hours the attorneys work and to make sure invoices are being sent out in a timely fashion. I can hire you, put you on payroll, and this will be a legitimate part-time job where you can earn your own money, still go to school, and, be at home with Junior when I go back to the office next month. I can have you set up to work right here at home."

"How much is the pay?"

"Uh, for you? $50 per hour." I said, smirking.

"That is not what you would have paid someone you don't know. What is the posted hourly pay for that position?" she said, raising her brow.

"I don't know $15, $16 an hour; it's really not much at all."

"Don't worry, my fiancé's rich."

"Ohhh, is that right? In that case, I don't have to worry about explaining our benefits package to you." I said, pulling her on to my lap.

"Nah, I don't need it, I'm pretty sure he has me covered." She said, wrapping her arms around my neck as I wrapped mine around her waist.

"You bet I do." I said, before capturing her lips.

**A/N: Finally these two are making some progress. Let's see what Bella's reaction will be to possibly meeting her father. Please leave me your thoughts, thank you!**


	65. Chapter 65

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**As always, thank you, princess07890, you are the best!**

**Chapter 64**

**The Call**

"Son, I'm not judging you, but I'm not going to pretend to understand your lifestyle choices." Charlie said, while running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

He and his son's relationship had been strained to say the least, ever since he had come out and admitted to his parents that he was gay. Brad loved his dad, but the awkwardness that surrounded them whenever he was in Charlie's presence, was enough to make him keep his distance.

"Listen, Brad, you are my son and all I am saying is it would be nice to spend some time with you without…. without… your friend around." Charlie said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice, because, in all honesty, if his son had chosen to fuck a horse, he would still love him.

"Dave, his name is Dave, dad, and, you should get use to his presence. He is my partner and the person I have chosen to spend my life with."

Charlie grimaced, trying to get the image of his son being held by another man out of his head. He partly blamed himself for his son's lifestyle choice. He and Brad's mother had divorced when he was just eleven years old and, due to work, Charlie was not able to spend a lot of time with his son while he was growing up. Being a neurosurgeon certainly took its toll on his family and now he was left with regrets of not being the father and husband he had once promised to be.

"Look, Brad, Dave's a nice person; I just would like for once to spend time with just you. Spend some father/son time together. Is that really too much to ask?" Charlie asked, sitting back in his office chair, holding the phone with his shoulder with both hands up towards the ceiling.

"Well, that depends, dad; would you feel the same way if Dave was Donna or Denise or Doris or…"

"I get it Brad, okay." Charlie said, blowing hard out his nose.

"Look, dad, I have to go; I have an appointment soon and need to get ready." Brad said, making his dad know he was clearly done with the discussion.

"Fine, will you at least think about what I said?"

"Yeah, whatever dad, I gotta go, bye." And with that, Brad hung up.

Charlie slowly pulled the receiver from his ear and put it on the hook before throwing his head back against his chair and rubbing his hand down his face. He hated that Brad was the only child he had and he practically had no relationship with him and, as much as he tried, he just couldn't wholeheartedly embrace his son's choices. There was a knock on his office door and then a nurse walked in to hand him a file.

"Dr. Swan, you have an 8 a.m. surgery scheduled tomorrow morning; here is the patient's chart with the lab work." She said, offering a smile while standing in front of his desk.

Charlie, who was now 41 years old, was a very handsome man and admired by most of the female staff members under him and some of his colleagues. He stood six feet three inches with a medium, semi muscular build, dark brown hair and chocolate colored eyes that wrinkled at the corners whenever he smiled. He has a smile that warmed hearts and his mostly appealing trait was his humbleness and total obliviousness to his effects on the female gender. He was kind by nature and lived to help others; it was what came natural to him.

"Thank you, Miranda. Can you also let me know which resident will be assisting me tomorrow?"

"I sure will." She said as she walked out of his office.

Charlie sat back down and was reading over his patient's chart, when the shrill sound of his cell phone on his hip made him jump. He looked at the caller ID and blew out a loud gust of wind while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Dr. Swan." He said, waiting for the inevitable onslaught from his ex wife.

"Don't you Dr. Swan me, Charlie; how dare you call our son up upsetting him the way you did?"

"Hello to you, too, Lauren."

"Oh, cut the shit Charlie; what is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me? I just want to spend a few hours _alone_ with my son and that's suddenly un-fucking heard of. It would be no different than if I had a daughter and I wanted to spend time with her without her boyfriend hanging around." He said, leaning forward in his chair.

"Oh, there's a difference Charlie, because, as long as he was willing to watch a baseball game with you, you wouldn't have a problem with his company. Why can't you just give your son the support he needs and love him, Charlie."

"Hey, I love, fucking _love_ my son and, _you_, of all people, know that, Lauren. I'm sorry if this pill was not as easy for me to swallow as you."

They were both silent and Charlie's heart clenched in his chest at the love he still held for his ex wife. They certainly had their differences, but, when they were together, she had been his best friend. The fact that she was remarried with two other children did nothing to take away the sting of losing his family.

"I'll try harder Lauren, okay?" He said in defeat, because he still hated disappointing her.

"That's all I ask, Charlie. How's work?" She finally asked in a much calmer tone.

"Oh, you know, it's all brainwork." He said, earning a chuckle from her.

"I'll talk to you soon, have a good day." She said before ending the call.

Charlie buried his head in his hands, feeling the effects of the twenty seven hours he had been at work, due to an unexpected emergency surgery last night as his shift was just ending. It was just after 10 a.m. and he knew he needed to get home and get some rest for his 7 a.m. shift tomorrow morning. Just as he closed the file and stood from his desk to head home, his office phone rang. Charlie looked at the phone exasperated, praying this would not be another emergency surgery. With his hands on his hips and his head towards the ceiling, he seriously contemplated not answering, but his true nature would never allow him to ignore someone's potential need. Running his hand through his hair, he grabbed the receiver with his other hand.

"Dr. Swan."

"Hello, I'm looking for a Dr. Charlie Swan." The male voice said on the other end of the receiver said.

"This is Dr. Swan, how may I help you?" Charlie said with his brows furrowed.

"Sir, you don't know me, but I have some information that may be very important to you."

"I'm sorry, who am I speaking with?"

"My name is Edward Cullen, sir."

**A/N: Holy cow, he made the call to Charlie! What will Charlie say? Keep reading. Oh, and please leave me your thoughts and theories!**


	66. Chapter 66

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**As always, thank you, princess07890, you are the best!**

**Chapter 65**

**The Introduction**

**EPOV **

"I'm sorry, who am I speaking with?" Charlie Swan said, and I swallowed hard trying not to lose my nerve to tell him about his daughter.

After Bella and I had our talk yesterday, and, after a couple of rounds of fucking each other senseless, we relaxed in each other's arms talking, kissing, caressing, and just enjoying, being us. I very carefully broached the subject of her father, and, surprisingly, she seemed a little intrigued at the possibility of maybe one day reaching out to him, but, at the same time, she seemed to be in no hurry to do so. Praying to God this man was halfway decent, I reached out to him, with the hope of salvaging at least one of her biological family ties.

"My name is Edward Cullen, sir." I said, knowing that told him absolutely nothing.

"Well, how can I help you, Edward Cullen?"

"As I said at the beginning of my call, I have some information that may be important to you."

"Is this a sales call, because all hospital equipment is purchased through a private vendor, but I can transfer you to the administrative office…?"

"No, no sir, this is not a sales call." I said, cutting him off.

"Okay, I'm listening."

"Sir, does the name Renee Dwyer mean anything to you?" I asked, and, I could hear Charlie blow a breath out hard into the phone.

"Renee Dwyer, wow, I haven't heard that name in almost twenty five years. She was my high school sweetheart that is until…she decided to take a different path than me. Why do you ask? Is she okay?" Charlie asked, I'm sure wondering why he would be getting a call about Renee, with whom he had absolutely no contact with.

"Yes, well… no…actually…sir, Renee's deceased."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, are you her son?"

"Uh, no, but I do know her daughter; her name is Isabella… Isabella Marie Swan, sir." I shut my eyes tight, terrified of the reaction I may get from Charlie.

"Isabella Swan?" Charlie said, barely above a whisper.

"Yes sir, your daughter, sir." I said, still afraid I would hear a dial tone any second now, but it never came.

The silence on the line was deafening, and I wondered if Charlie had hung up.

"Dr. Swan? Sir?"

"Um, yeah, I'm um…I'm…st still here. Renee… she never told me she was pregnant; I had no idea." Charlie said, clearing his throat.

"We know you didn't, sir." I stated, matter of factly.

"Where are you calling from, son?"

"We, live in Seattle, sir."

"And, by 'we', you mean you and Isabella?"

"Yes."

"Are you her husband?"

"Not yet, sir, her fiancé, but I do plan to marry her, soon." I added quickly.

Never had I been so nervous talking to another man, but, for some strange reason, I felt I owed Charlie an explanation for living with his daughter without being married.

"I see, and, is she there with you?"

"No, sir, she is out to breakfast with my mom and sister, but she will be back in the early afternoon."

Junior picked this moment to wake up from his nap and let out a wail from his swing, that he had fallen asleep in forty five minutes ago after I fed him.

"Is that a baby I hear?"

"Yes sir, that's our son, Edward, Jr.; he's four month old." Again, Charlie was silent and, I wondered if he had hung up, while I walked over and picked Junior up out of his swing.

"Wow, so…so… I have a grandson?" Charlie asked incredulously.

"Yes, sir, you do. Actually, you would be his only biological grandparent living."

"Your parents are deceased also?" Charlie asked, sounding sorry for me on the other end of the line.

"No, sir, both my parents are still living…it's kind of long story, sir."

"Edward, I'm a pretty intelligent man; it doesn't take much to figure out that you are not the biological father, but you are assuming the role, correct?"

"Yeah, simply put, sir."

"Okay, so, what time will Isabella be available to talk to me?" Charlie asked, and now it was my turn to be quiet.

"She doesn't know you're contacting me, does she, son?" Charlie said, blowing another hard breath down his nose.

"No sir, she doesn't." I answered, suddenly feeling like a child.

"Well, are you going to tell her?"

"Yes, absolutely sir, it's just…well…she's been through a lot, a whole lot and, I had to make sure that…"

"That I would not reject her; you're smart, son. Always protect those you love, _always._"

"Always, sir."

"Edward?"

"Yes sir?"

"Please, call me Charlie; I'm not that old."

"Okay, Charlie, can you give me a couple of days to tell her I found you? You'll be hearing from me." I asked, elated that this man, who, thirty minutes ago, had no idea he even had a daughter and a grandson, was opened minded enough to want to meet Bella.

"Sure Edward, but, please don't leave me waiting too long; I've missed her whole life up until now.

"I won't, Charlie." I said before hanging up

Now, I just need to figure out a way to tell Bella, without getting kicked out of my own house.

**A/N: Charlie's a sweetheart, isn't he? Can't wait to see if Bella will be as sweet! Please leave me your thoughts in a review, thanks.**


	67. Chapter 67

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**As always, thank you, princess07890, you are amazing!**

**Chapter 66**

**Facing The Music**

**EPOV **

I hung up the phone, with a thumping heart and a smile on my face.

"We did it, man." I said to Junior, holding him up in the air and bringing him back down while planting kisses on his neck, earning me giggles.

"Are you laughing at daddy, huh, are you laughing at daddy?" I said, as I spun him in the air.

"I hope mommy likes her surprise; that would make daddy so happy. You know that?"

"What would make daddy happy?" I spun around to see Bella smiling at me and Junior and I could feel my face pale.

Oh dear God, how much had she heard before making her presence known?

"Hey, baby, wh-what are you doing here? Where are mom and Tanya? I asked, holding Junior to my chest.

"Tanya wasn't feeling well, so we put off shopping until next week. Now I can spend some time with you guys. Right, sweetheart?" she said, taking our son from me and planting kisses on his fat cheeks.

"Did you at least get a chance to eat?"

"Yes, and breakfast was delicious. Is he hungry?" she asked, taking his fist out of his mouth.

"He may be, but, he just woke up about fifteen minutes ago." I said, following her into the kitchen.

"So, what would make you happy?" She said, smiling up at me.

"I…I… I would be so happy…if…Junior went to sleep right now so I can have my way with you." I said, deflecting and wrapping my hands around her waist.

"Perv, didn't you get enough this morning?" She said, laughing and swatting my arms away.

She walked into our bedroom and laid Junior on our bed, while she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it across the bed. She then picked him up and walked to the chair in our room to nurse him.

"So, what did you do while I was gone? Did you eat? If not, I can fix you breakfast when I'm done feeding him." She said, while adjusting our son in her arms.

"No, I'm good; I had a bowl of cereal and an egg sandwich with coffee."

"Cereal and an egg sandwich? That's disgusting Edward." She said, laughing.

"It was quick and delicious."

"Yeah, I'll bet."

"So, your birthday is a little over a week away and I was thinking…"

"I don't really celebrate my birthday." She said, cutting me off.

"Why not?"

"I don't know; it was just never a big deal, I guess."

"Of course it's a big deal. A celebration of the day _you_ were born; sweetheart, that's one of the biggest deals of my life."

"You're adorable, you know that?"

"You're kind of cute yourself."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely." I said, bending down and planting a kiss on her lips.

OOOO00000000OOOO

"Ah, Edward, shit…right there, that's it?"

"Is that it baby; is that where you want me?" I said, as I added a second finger into Bella's soaked pussy.

"Don't stop, Edward, don't stop…oh God…so good…please, Edward."

I watched as her beautiful body writhed under me as I pushed my fingers in and out of her, and, as I felt her pussy walls get tighter, I knew she was near the edge. I curled my fingers, hitting the spot that I knew would send her over and watched her as the most beautiful expressions appeared on her face.

"Are you gonna cum for me, love? I want to see you cum. Fuck, Bella, you are so fucking wet, baby."

I slammed my fingers into her harder and faster, while placing wet kisses along her collarbones and neck. She tightly squeezed her eyes shut and I knew she was there, but, I needed to look into her beautiful brown eyes. To watch her come undone and, knowing it was me that gave this pleasure to her, brought me more satisfaction than I ever dreamed.

"Edward, I'm…I'm… oh God, Edward, I'm cumming, I'm cumming…yeeesss baby"

"That's it baby, let it go. Does that feel good baby?"

"Ahhh, yeeessss Edward, fuck yes….feel so good Edward. I need… I need you inside…inside of me, now baby; please, baby.

I felt the warmth of her small hand on my cock, which was stretching my boxer briefs to their limit and I hissed as she reached inside of them and rubbed my pre-cum across the tip of my dick.

"Dammit, Bella, baby, fuck!"

Holding myself up on one of my forearms, I used my other hand to push my boxers down off my hips and Bella used her foot to push them down to my ankles. After kicking them off, I settled myself between her legs, flicked my tongue across her perky nipple, and, smiled when Bella moaned under me. She tasted delectable and smelled heavenly.

"Show me where you want me, baby." I said, as I kissed up her chest, to her collarbone, up to the soft skin just below her earlobe.

Bella reached between her legs, rubbing the tip of my cock across the opening of her soaked pussy and her hips bucked as she anticipated my entrance into her. I slowly pushed my tip into her, pausing, as I placed wet kisses along her neck. Grabbing both her hands and, pinning them to the bed above her head, I slammed into her, making her arch her back and cry out my name. As I moved in and out of her, she lifted her hips and met my every thrust.

"Right here, baby?"

"Aaarrggghh, Edward, yes, fuck me, Eeeddwarrrd, fuck me."

"Jesus, Bella,…so wet for me…"

I continued to pound into her as she dug the heels of her feet into my ass, pushing me to fuck her harder and I would not disappoint my Bella. Pushing her thighs back, which caused the back of her knees to rest on my shoulders, I pushed up on my hands and gave my sweet Bella exactly what she was begging for. I saw her eyes widen as the force took her by surprise and sent her over the edge once more, but, this time, she took me with her.

I felt the tightening in my balls just before I released four hot streams of my seed into her dripping pussy.

"Oh fuck, fuck, fuuuccckkk, Bella, shit, your pussy…is…is fucking aaamnaaazzziinnggg darlin'."

I collapsed on top of her with my face buried into her hair.

"I love you, so much." I whispered into her ear as I rubbed her cheek with the back of my hand while placing soft kisses on her face.

"I love you, too, baby."

I rolled off of her, pulled her into my arms and she ran her fingers through my hair at the nape of my neck. The moment was so perfect; I debated whether I should spoil it by bringing up my call to Bella's father. However, I knew that, if I didn't, I was just delaying the inevitable and, therefore, making things worse.

"Hey babe, I need to talk to you…about something, _really_ important."

"Okay, is everything alright? Are _you_ alright?" She asked, sitting up on her elbows.

"Yes, I'm fine baby. It's just…well…see, I wanted… I kinda…"

"Edward, sweetie, since when do you have trouble talking to me? You're scaring me." She said, sitting all the way up and leaning back against the headboard. I mimicked her action.

I blew out a hard breath through narrowed lips, pinched the bridge of my nose, and, decided to just tell her the truth.

"Bella, before I tell you what I did, please know that I love you and Junior with all my heart and nothing or no one is more important to me than you and our son. I only want to keep you guys safe, always."

"I know, Edward, I feel the same way."

"Do you remember Garrett?"

"The PI? He's Emily's nephew, right?"

"Correct; I hired him a couple of months back to do some investigating for me."

"Concerning my case, right?"

"Yyyeeaahhh, and to find someone for me, for us."

"Who, Edward?"

I blew out another hard breath, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

"Your father."

"My _father_?" She said, with raised eyebrows and a shocked expression.

"Yes, he found him and gave me a number to contact him for when you were ready to meet him."

"Okay, I'm a little pissed that you took it upon yourself to do this without asking me, but, I guess if and when I ever do decide to contact him, I'll be able to."

"I actually called him this morning and…"

"WHAT! WHAT THE FUCK EDWARD?!" Bella yelled, jumped up from the bed and put on her t-shirt and a pair of panties on.

"Bella…" I said, getting up and pulling on my boxers.

"Don't fucking 'Bella' me, Edward! You had _no_ fucking right; who the fuck do _you_ think you are, Edward?

"Bella, please, I just wanted you to be able to have a relationship with him, but, I had to make sure he was not going to hurt you."

"I don't give a damn what _you_ thought you were doing! It was not your place to contact a man with whom I have _never_ had any contact with."

"Bella, listen to me dammit…"

The next thing I knew, I felt the palm of her right hand connect with my left cheek and I saw a flash of light, before she shoved me hard in my chest.

"You are not God! You can't control everything and everyone; you had no fucking right!" She shouted, pointing her finger in my face, before putting on a pair of jeans and storming out the room.

I rubbed the left side of my face, wincing at the sting her slap had left, and, just as I walked out our bedroom, down the hall and into the living room, I saw and heard Bella leave out and slam the front door. Thankfully, Junior slept through it all, surprisingly. I sat down on couch with my head in my hands, trying to figure out how to fix this.

I picked up the phone and called the one person who I knew would know what to do. I dialed the number and waited for the soothing voice to answer.

"Hey baby."

**A/N: Well, Bella didn't take that well at all! Let's see if Edward can fix this. Keep reading and leave me your thoughts and theories.**


	68. Chapter 68

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Okay, a lot of you guys did not like Bella's reaction to Edward contacting her father and in some cases felt like she overreacted. Well, I agree. With that being said, please keep in mind a few things: 1) There is a 10 year difference in their age, so, in a lot of ways, Bella is young, immature and very inexperienced when it comes to relationships. 2) Bella has really only been in one relationship in her life and that one was totally dysfunctional. She has never had a positive male figure in her life to guide her and she has not learned to just talk instead of flying off the handle. 3) Let's not forget, people, Bella just had a baby 4 months ago, so she may still have some hormone imbalance issues. To her credit, she does not know much about the life that Edward is offering her, but, he loves her enough and is patient enough to teach her. Hopefully, this chapter from BPOV will clear some things up for you guys. As always, thanks you for reading and supporting this story, you guys are amazing!**

**As always, thank you, princess07890, you are incredible!**

**Chapter 67**

**Stupid is as Stupid Does**

**BPOV **

"I actually called him this morning and…" Edward said, and I quickly cut him off.

"WHAT! WHAT THE FUCK EDWARD?!" I yelled, jumping up from the bed and putting on my t-shirt and a pair of my panties.

"Bella…" He said, getting up and pulling on his boxers.

"Don't fucking 'Bella' me, Edward! You had _no_ fucking right; who the fuck do _you_ think you are, Edward?

"Bella, please, I just wanted you to be able to have a relationship with him, but, I had to make sure he was not going to hurt you." Edward said, and, deep inside I knew he was right; but, for some reason, I just couldn't calm down long enough for my brain to register that fact. For some odd reason, the mention of my biological father made my blood boil.

"I don't give a damn what _you_ thought you were doing! It was not your place to contact a man with whom I have _never_ had any contact with."

"Bella, listen to me, dammit…"

The next thing I knew, my right hand had taken on a mind of its own and, connected with his left cheek, and, as if that wasn't bad enough, I shoved him hard in his chest, you know, for good measure. I am such a moron; but, my apparent diarrhea of the mouth was not ready to stop running!

"You are not God! You can't control everything and everyone; you had no fucking right!" I shouted, pointing my finger in his face, before putting on a pair of jeans and storming out the room.

After slipping on a pair of flats and grabbing my cell, keys, and, purse, I walked out, slamming the door behind me. I called the elevator, praying Edward did not follow me out as I waited. There were a million thoughts running through my mind, but, the most prominent one was how big of an ass I was being. I couldn't stop the tears from falling and, I couldn't will my feet to turn around and go back inside. My hormones were all over the place; they had been ever since I came home. One minute, I was happy and the next, I would feel anxious, like I was bordering on a panic attack.

I still cannot figure out what the hell Edward sees in me and why he would want to fall in love with someone who clearly has nothing to offer him. He is the best dad I could have ever hoped for, for our son and, takes better care of me than I do myself. So, why do I keep hurting the one person who means everything to me? I exited the elevator with a tear streaked face and was greeted by Thomas, our doorman.

"Hello, Miss Swan, how are…? He trailed off, taking in my appearance and cleared his throat as he looked away awkwardly.

"Hi Thomas… can…would you mind getting a taxi for me?"

"Sure, ma'am," He said, picking up the phone, calling for a taxi.

I walked over to the large window and stood. I could feel Thomas' eyes on me, but, I did not turn around.

"Your taxi should be here soon, Miss Swan." He said, quietly, as if, he spoke louder, something would shatter.

"Thank you, Thomas." I said, looking over my shoulder and offering a polite smile.

The taxi arrived not even two minutes later and I thanked Thomas again, leaving him with a little pocket change. I instructed the taxi driver of where to take me, before pulling out my cell to call Alice and Rose, who met me at Kerry Park. By the time the taxi dropped me off, I had stopped crying and was a lot calmer than when I left home.

Rose and Alice arrived about ten minutes later and, greeted me with hugs, before finding a bench for us all to sit on.

"Bella, what happened?" Rose asked, jumping right in after we sat down. I took a deep breath, before revealing to my now two best friends, what an asshole I had been to Edward.

"You slapped Edward?" Rose asked in shock, with her perfectly arched eyebrows raised.

I nodded slowly, feeling even worse than I did when I first left the condo.

"And, you think you still have a place to live?" Alice said, laughing.

"It's not funny Alice, I seriously fucked up." I said, leaning forward and covering my face with my hands.

"Yes, yes you did, and, I'm glad you realize that," Rose said, still chuckling.

"But, Edward loves you dearly and, _that_ is what I think you haven't realized yet." Rose continued.

"I do know that he loves me."

"Yeah, but, you seem to think it's conditional, like, you're waiting for the punch line at the end of the joke or the bottom to fall out, because no one could really be this perfect." Alice said.

"And, you're right, he is not a perfect person, but, it doesn't stop him from trying to be perfect for you and the sooner you realize _that,_ the better off you two will be." Rose added.

"Sweetie, for you, Edward is Mr. Right, not Mr. Right Now, so, if you're looking for him to jump up one day and have a change of heart, you'll be waiting for a lifetime." Alice said smiling.

"And then some; honey. Edward is in this _all the way_ to the end." Rose said, pulling me into a hug.

"I know, I know and… and …I love him so much and I'm so scared that, one day, I'll look up and he'll realize what a failure I am. I have absolutely nothing to offer him or compliment him." I said, as the tears starting falling once more.

"Oh Sweetie, Edward is not looking for any of that from you. Edward is a millionaire, and, like most millionaires, he has the luxuries of what comes with that lifestyle right at his fingertips. Cars, houses, hired help, and the women, oh God, they have no shame and would do just about anything to get him to fuck one of them. They are absolutely relentless; you'll see at the end of the summer company barbeque next week. But, you know what? None of that means a damn thing to him without you and your son." Alice finished, giving my shoulders a tight squeeze.

"Barbeque? What barbeque? He didn't mention a company barbeque to me."

"Well, if he wasn't living with the 'million dollar baby', slapping the shit out of him, he just might get around to it." Rose said, laughing, causing Alice and I to laugh with her.

"In all seriousness, you've got to let go of your fears from, your past and learn to let Edward love you the way you deserve. I know calling your father without asking you may not have been the best way to go about trying to bring him into your life, but, Edward is very protective when it comes to you and Junior; he's also a bit possessive." Alice said, holding my hand in between hers.

"A bit possessive? He's obsessed with making sure you and Junior are okay at all times, but, that's just Edward and, from what Emmett tells me, it's not easy to get his attention and when he loves, he loves hard." Rose said, agreeing with Alice.

"I have some serious apologizing to do and, I don't even know where to start."

"Begin by letting the walls around you fall and letting Edward in to see the real you; he deserves that and so do you. Stop doubting him and trust him, you won't regret it; I promise." Alice said.

"So, what are you going to do about meeting your father?" Rose asked.

"Well, I have to first find out if he even wants to meet me and then, I guess, Edward, and I will sit down and talk about the best time and place."

"Sounds like a good plan. Come on, let's grab some lunch." Alice said, as we all stood from the park bench and started walking toward Rose's BMW.

Just as we reached the car, someone called my name, causing all three of us to turn around. We turned to see a young man dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and a black tie. He shifted from one foot to the next as if he was nervous and, finally, Alice addressed him.

"Seth, what are you doing here?"

He cleared his throat before speaking, looking quite shy and embarrassed.

"Mr. Cullen sent me to make sure Miss Swan got back home safely."

"But, how did you know I was here, at this park?" I said, with narrowed eyes.

"Um… GPS on your cell phone ma'am." He said as he continued to shift from one foot to the other.

"Really?" Alice said, looking incredulously.

"Told you that fucker was obsessed." Rose said, laughing.

"Wow, here I am feeling bad for walking out and not saying where I was going and Inspector Gadget is sitting at home, worry free, tracking my every move.

"I wouldn't say worry free, ma'am. He is quite beside himself right now." Seth said, in all sincerity.

"Yes, I imagine he is; Rose, Alice, I think I'll take a rain check on that lunch; I need to get home and to my family."

"Of course, honey, we understand." Alice said, smiling.

After giving them hugs and thanking them for meeting me, I turned back to Seth, who was holding the back door of Edward's Land Rover open for me.

"Okay, I'm ready." I said as I climbed into the back seat.

Once we were back at the condo, Seth walked with me to make sure I got in safely. He rode with me to the top floor, but did not get out with me.

"Enjoy the rest of your day, ma'am" He said, with a dip of his chin before he pushed the button to go back down.

"You too, Seth."

I reached into my purse and pulled out my keys to go in our condo. I paused at the front door at a loss as to what I would say when I saw Edward. Sorry, just didn't seem like enough right now. I walked into our condo and Duke was sitting right at the door wagging his tail at me.

"Hey Duke, how are you boy?" I said, bending down and rubbing the top of his head.

The living room was empty and so was the kitchen; the house was silent; almost as if no one was home. But, I knew better, because I could _feel _him. I walked into our bedroom and the sight took my breath away. Edward was laying back in our recliner with a sleeping Junior on his chest. There was an empty bottle of milk next to the chair on the floor and the two of them look so peaceful. I was instantly struck with guilt; how could I run out on Edward and Junior, even if my intentions were to come back; it just wasn't a very mature thing to do.

I placed my purse and keys on the bed and removed my shoes, before walking over to pick Junior up. Edward's eyes fluttered open and, when he looked up at me, my heart broke. He looked tired, utterly exhausted, and I knew that was because of me.

"I'm just going to lay him in his crib." I said, as I put Junior on my shoulder and Edward simply nodded, not saying a word, but never breaking eye contact.

I returned to our room to find Edward in the same spot, only the chair was not reclined anymore. I sat on the side of our bed, wringing my fingers together in my lap and, when I looked up, Edward was staring at me, but, I couldn't read the expression on his face. I licked my lips while pushing a piece of hair behind my ear, searching my heart and mind for the words to say to make this right.

"Edward, I…"

"Don't." I looked up to see him shaking his head with his eyes closed and then, he took in a deep breath, blowing it hard out of his nose.

"What do you want, Bella?"

"You." The words were out of my mouth before I could even think of what to say.

"You have me, I'm yours. What are you going to do with me, now that you have me?" He whispered, but his words spoke volumes.

I sat frozen, trying to express to this beautiful man how much I care for him, how much I cherish him, how much I fear losing him, how much I don't know what to do with someone as wonderful as him, but I know I can't live without him, how much I appreciate his love, kindness and sincerity; most of all, how much I love and adore him. He was my constant, my calm in the middle of a storm.

"I don't… I don't know how to do this. I thought once I was out of prison, and here with you, it would be easy. I thought I could just be with you and everything would fall into place. But, I have all these feelings and emotions that I don't know how to deal with. I try to act normal and just fit in, but...but I feel like… I don't know…like…."

"Like you don't belong here." He said, as he walked over to me.

I nodded as I fought back tears and he came and sat next to me on our bed. He took my hand in between his large ones and looked up into my eyes. There were so many things, so many emotions in those green orbs that my breath caught in my throat.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Do you love me?"

"So much."

"Do you believe that I love you?" He whispered, placing his right hand over my left cheek and I leaned into his touch while nodding.

"Nothing, or no one can ever change that and when we don't agree or see eye to eye, we don't have to yell, curse, or hurt each other. We can talk about anything as long as we are open and honest and respectful; if we do that, we will always come out on top, together."

"I need you so much, Edward." I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I need you, too, baby."

"I'm so sorry I hit you; I promise I will never do that again." I said; placing a hand over the cheek I hit.

"I'm fine." He said, taking that same hand and kissing my fingers.

"So… you… you talked to my father, huh?" I asked, afraid of what he would say, but, I knew I had to face it, even if he rejected me.

"Yes, I did, and, Bella, I'm so sorry I didn't ask you before contacting him, that was wrong. However I am not sorry for wanting to protect you and Junior."

"I know Edward; I know you were only trying to protect us. Was…was he upset?" I asked, frowning, and waiting for the words that would let me know he wanted nothing to do with me.

I looked up to see Edward shaking his head.

"No, he was anything but upset; he wants to meet you. He seems like a pretty decent guy, to be honest." Edward said, rubbing his chin with his thumb.

"Really?" I asked, feeling a hint of excitement.

"Yes, really." Edward said, chuckling, while pulling me onto his lap.

"I don't know what to say. I've wondered about him for all these years and, now that I am finally able to meet him, the thought scares the hell out of me."

"Don't be scared, I'm here and I will always be here." He said, crashing his lips into mine.

**A/N: Thank you for reading and please leave me your thoughts.**

"


	69. Chapter 69

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**To all my readers and followers, let me take a moment to apologize for the extended delay in updating. I have had a whirlwind of events going on in my personal life that required my time attention and simply did not have the time to write any chapters. Things have thankfully calmed down for my family and I and I should be getting back to some kind of normal updating schedule. To Monica and your awesome reading group "A Place to Read Along" thanks for checking on me, your support and patience means a lot.**

**Jasperswoman, I know you're somewhere cursing because I hadn't updated, so here you go babe!**

**As always to my beta, thank you, princess07890, you are incredible. I could not continue this without you, thanks for being here!**

**Chapter 68**

**Family Ties**

**EPOV **

"No, Junior, you can't eat the birthday hat, you're suppose to wear it for mommy." I said, as I pulled the paper birthday hat out of his mouth for the hundredth time, and his response was always the same; more drool down his chin and a case of the giggles as I blew raspberries into his neck.

Junior was sitting up on his own now with a slight lean, but he was getting there quickly. He sat in his highchair, kicking his legs and gumming on a baby biscuit. Most of it just became mush on the highchair tray; I was finishing up the frosting on the coconut cake my mother had helped me make for Bella's birthday.

"Okay, all the decorations are up and, no, I did not go overboard!" Alice said, looking a little disappointed that I did not let her do her usual superfluous style of decorating.

"Good, and thank you very much." I said, giving her a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

Alice was like a sister to me and I loved her like a big brother. My mom and Rose were setting the table for dinner, which would be Bella's favorite, baked mushroom ravioli, compliments of my sister Tanya.

The guest of honor was currently on her way back from enrolling in classes at the University of Washington; in order to finish her pre-med degree. She was starting out with just two classes to get back in the swing of things and then she would go back to a full time schedule in the spring. She has been working for my firm for almost two weeks now, doing data entry from home for our accounting department. To say that she has made the payroll manager's job a hell of a lot easier is an understatement. She has done nothing but sing Bella's praises since she started.

Things between us have been very reposeful since our last quarrel we had regarding me calling her father. When Bella first slapped me and then walked out, I was furious, but, after calling my mother, she was able to calm me down and help me understand the insecurities Bella was feeling. She assured me that Bella's reaction to me contacting her father had more to do with her own fears of rejection, than me. Bella and I have done a lot of talking and, we've laid a lot on the table, including our hearts. We have promised to always put each other first and to never let fear keep us from communicating. She has opened up about her fears and her insecurities and I have done everything in my power to reassure her of my love for her. I would do anything to protect her and Junior and to keep them safe.

"Seth just called and Bella is on her way up." Jasper yelled, from the living room and everyone ran into Junior's bedroom, except for me and Junior, of course.

I wiped his hands quickly, threw his plastic bib into the sink and, picked him up to go meet Bella at the front door.

"Hey, there are my two favorite boys." She said, coming in and giving me and Junior both kisses before taking him out of my arms.

"Hey baby, how did the registration go?" I asked, as I placed my hand on the small of her back, leading her to the bedroom.

"Oh God, I forgot how much work it can be registering for classes and then meeting with the financial aid counselor, that was a nightmare with all the paperwork." She said kicking off her shoes and plopping down on the bed with Junior.

"Financial aid? Why would you need to apply for that? I asked, confused.

"To pay for my classes, Edward; hello, tuition is not free, you know." She said, as if that should have been obvious.

But what I couldn't understand is why she felt the need to apply for financial aid when I could very well pay for her tuition with no problem. Deciding that now was not the time to have this discussion; I simply nodded my head and smiled.

"Well I know you must be hungry, so, I'll go see what I can put together, ok?"

"Alright sweetie, I'm just going to grab a quick shower; I promise I'll be out in ten."

"Sounds good." I said, kissing her forehead and taking Junior before leaving the room.

After closing the door behind me, and listening to make sure she went into our en suite, I tip toed down to Junior's room to let everyone know to head to the dining room.

Tanya quickly grabbed the casserole dish with the baked mushroom ravioli that she brought from home, while my mother grabbed the coconut cake and sat it in the middle of the table. Everyone took their places around the table and we patiently waited for Bella to make her way out of the shower and room so that we could surprise her. Little did I know that we would be the ones to get surprised.

Bella came out the room humming and I called for her to come to the dining room. As she turned the corner and we all yelled "Happy Birthday", my mouth popped open and I almost dropped our son. Bella was wearing one of my v neck white t shirts that showed plenty of cleavage and was barely long enough to cover her private parts, which, by the way, were sporting the sexiest lace underwear, but that was neither here nor there at the moment. Bella screamed and quickly jumped back behind the wall before anyone could have really gotten a good look at her and, I could only imagine how she was feeling. The deep blush covering her face as I peeked my head around the wall confirmed just how mortified she was.

"Edward, I… oh God… I am so sorry…I didn't know…" she said, shaking her head and placing her hand over her face.

"Bella, baby, don't worry about it. I'm sure as fast as you reacted, no one had a chance to really see anything." I whispered as I stepped around the wall and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"But, I do have say, seeing you wearing that outfit makes me wish we did not have company right now." I said, smirking at her along with waggling my brows, which only made her blush more.

"Go get changed, love." I said, grabbing her chin and kissing her lips again. I swatted her ass as she turned to walk away, which made her jump and giggle.

I walked back into the dining room to find everyone standing around with awkward expressions, except for Emmett, who was sporting a goofy grin.

"Well, damn, I guess you'll be getting laid tonight, huh?" He said, cheesing.

"Emmett McCarty!" My mother said; giving him a stern look as my father looked down, shaking his head with a smirk as Rose elbowed Emmett in the ribs.

"Sorry, Esme." He said, with a boyish grin, earning him a small smile from my mother.

"I'm going to go check on Bella." I said, handing Junior to my mom.

"Hey, are you okay in here?" I asked as I walked into our bedroom, causing Bella to turn around from our dresser.

"Yeah, I'm just… are you sure no one saw anything?" She said, embarrassment written all over her face.

"Trust me _Speedy Gonzales_ no one had a chance to process what you were wearing, well, that is, besides me, but, I am very much in tune with your body in an entirely different way." I said, raising my eyebrows and smiling at her.

"Come on, everyone's waiting on the birthday girl."

The conversation flowed as we ate dinner and Bella simply loved the mushroom ravioli dish my sister cooked for us. She enjoyed me and my mom's coconut cake so much that she had two slices. It was good to see Bella laugh and be so carefree. I sat and watched her in awe of her beauty and strength, wondering what my life would be like without her and Junior; I felt a familiar ache in my chest at the very thought. They were my family and there was no way I could ever be without them, now. Bella had told me that before me, she thought that being in love and being loved back was just in the fairytales. That it was impossible to _really_ love the way that we do.

"You want me to take him?" Bella asked, bring me back to the present.

"He's making a meal out of your shirt." She said laughing and pointing at Junior.

I looked down to see an enormous wet spot on my chest where Junior's list fist was holding my shirt trying to stuff more into his mouth.

"I think he's a little hungry." I said, chuckling.

"You think?" Bella said, smiling and giving me a wink as she took Junior from my arms.

"I'm going to go nurse him, I'll be back soon." She said, kissing my lips and walking away.

_Fuck, I wish we were alone right now_

"So, how are the wedding plans coming along, Tanya?" Rose asked.

"Good, there's just so much to do, but, so far, so good. Jacob and I are meeting with our planner and the caterers tomorrow to go over the menu. I'm also going to start looking for my dress next week."

"And that's where I come in" Alice said, with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes, Alice and I will be taking care of your dress, hair, and makeup." Rose smiled at Tanya.

"That's wonderful ladies and I will be taking care of all the decorations for the reception, so we will need to all meet soon to discuss scheduling." My mother said, smiling at Tanya."

"Speaking of weddings, dude, have you officially popped the question to Bella?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, you're not getting any younger buddy and, if you're talking about having more kids, your biological clock is ticking." Jasper said, snickering and earning a few more laughs around the table.

"My biological clock is just damn fine, Jasper, and, for your information, men have children well into their forties all the time. I mean, I won't be the one carrying the babies and Bella wants to finish school before we start having more children. For now, Junior's enough and, trust me, he keeps us busy." I said, looking around the table; just then, Bella returned without Junior.

I looked at her with furrowed brows as she came to sit next to me.

"He fell asleep while nursing." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I say we propose a toast to the Bella, the birthday girl." Carlisle said, as he refilled everyone but Bella's wine glass; only sparkling grape juice while she is nursing. "I want to say we are so happy to have you and our grandson as part of this family and we are looking forward to many years and more grandchildren from you and our son. You make Edward so happy and, for that, we thank you. Here's to Bella." He said, holding up his glass and everyone followed suit, raising their glasses and clinking them together before drinking.

Bella, of course, blushed five shades of pink from the compliments and my hormones went nuts just looking at her.

_Okay, nice seeing you guys and I hope you'll come back soon, but I need to go fuck Bella into oblivion right now…_

"I know that look, Mr. Cullen, but, in case you haven't noticed, we still have company and lots of it." She whispered, taking in my look of pure lust and desire for her.

"You know, I have no problem kicking them all out, right?" I whispered in her ear and, she giggled and swatted my arm.

"Patience, Mr. Cullen, patience."

I laughed down my nose while taking another sip from my wine. I looked back up at her and she mouthed 'I love you' while biting her bottom lip, making me groan and adjust myself in my seat. Just then the doorman buzzed my intercom.

"Are we expecting more guests?" Bella asked with a smile.

"Not that I'm aware of." I said, getting up to find out why my doorman was calling up.

"Hey Thomas, what's up?" I said, pressing the button to the intercom.

"Mr. Cullen, you and Miss Swan have a visitor, sir."

"Oh yeah, who is it?" I asked, taking a sip of wine from my glass.

"It's a Mr. Charlie Swan, sir."

**A/N: Hey guys I hope this chapter was worth the wait and again I apologize for the lengthy delay. Please leave me your thoughts in a review and I will update again soon, thanks.**


	70. Chapter 70

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**As always to my beta, thank you, princess07890, you are simply the best!**

**Chapter 69**

**Uninvited Guest**

**EPOV **

"Mr. Cullen, you and Miss Swan have a visitor, sir."

"Oh yeah, who is it?" I asked, taking a sip of wine from my glass.

"It's a Mr. Charlie Swan, sir."

I literally spat my wine out and started choking on the little bit I had tried to swallow. Charlie fucking Swan? Is he fucking kidding me? Of all the people that could show up on Bella's 24th birthday, it had to be her father, who had been MIA all her life? Well, stick a fucking fork in me, because I'm done! The room was completely silent and my index finger was still on top of the intercom button, but, I was stuck; I had no words, not one coherent thought, and no emotion, at that moment, made sense to me.

"Should I let him up sir?" Thomas said, snapping me out of the daze I was slowly spiraling into.

I turned my head and looked at Bella, who was sitting wide eyed, with tears at the rims of her beautiful brown orbs, waiting to fall. Her bottom lip began to quiver as she fought hard to keep her composure.

"No, Thomas, I'm coming down; please tell Dr. Swan to have a seat." I said, before placing my glass on the table and walking over to kneel in front of Bella.

"Come on Alice, Rose, let's clean up; Tanya you go check on Junior." My mother said, getting up from the table.

"Edward… Emmett, Jasper, and I will be in your office if you need us, alright, son?" My father said, placing his hand on my shoulder. I simply nodded before turning back to Bella.

Grabbing both her hands in mine, I breathed hard down my nose, looking down while shaking my head, before looking back up at Bella's now tear streaked face.

"Baby, I am so sorry… I had no idea that Charlie was coming or that he even knew where we lived for that matter."

"I know you didn't; I'm…I'm just…not ready Edward. I don't know…if…if I can do this."

"Shhh, and, if you're not ready, than you don't have to go downstairs." I said, kissing the back of her hands and then wiping her face with my thumbs.

She threw her arms around my neck, burying her face in the crook of it and I could feel her body shake as she cried; I rubbed soothing circles on her back. I then grabbed her by her waist with my arms and lifted her from the chair. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I carried her to our bedroom, closing the door with my foot behind us. I slowly laid both of us down onto our bed still holding on to one another, side by side. I could feel Bella start to relax as her sobs subsided.

"Are you okay?" I asked, pulling my face back just enough to look into her eyes, while I pushed her hair back off her face, she nodded slowly.

"I need to go down there and talk to him, okay, baby? I promise I won't be long." I whispered in her ear and then kissed her temple. She nodded again.

"I love you, Bella." I reassured her once again, because I never wanted her to doubt or forget it.

"I love you, too." She said, tightening her arms around my neck.

"Do you want me to have my mother come in here to sit with you?" I asked, knowing how she feared being alone, especially at times like this. I could feel her nodding against my neck.

"Okay, baby, I'll go get her." I said, untangling myself from Bella.

"Hey, Sweetheart, is she okay?" My mom asked, as I walked into my kitchen.

"She will be; she's just a little shaken up. Would you mind sitting with her while I go downstairs to talk to Charlie?"

"Of course not, take your time, Sweetie." She said, offering me a warm smile, while drying her hands, and heading to our bedroom.

As I stepped into the elevator, I took deep breaths through my nose, trying to remain calm as I watched the floors descend on the number panel. When the elevator dinged right before the doors opened to the lobby, I took one more deep breath before walking out to meet the man that help create one of the most beautiful creatures to ever grace this earth.

He stood as soon as he saw me and when I looked at him, all I could see was Bella. The resemblance was remarkable and unnerving at the same time. I almost lost my resolve to be angry with him, but I shook my head to regain my composure as I approached him.

"Edward?" he asked, as he slowly stretched his hand out to me.

I looked down at his hand for moment before finally taking it and shaking it. I couldn't help but feel that, in some strange way, I was betraying Bella by being nice to him, but nothing about this man's look or demeanor said "harm or danger".

"Dr. Swan." I simply said, nodding my head.

He was tall, about 6'3", with dark brown hair, and chestnut colored eyes, just like my Bella. The only facial hair he wore was a mustache and, when he smiled, his eyes crinkled at the corners. He wore an expensive gray Gucci suit, which almost mirrored the one in my closet upstairs, with a black shirt opened at the collar, and no tie. He removed his Ray Bans as I shook his hand.

"Please, call me Charlie, and, please except my apology for just dropping in on you guys like this; but, I went to a medical convention in Vancouver and… and it's…well it's only…

"A few hours away from Seattle, two and a half to be exact; I know Charlie, I have an office there" I said, placing my hands on my hips and sighing hard out of my nose.

"Yeah." He said, looking lost and out of place and, I couldn't help but think about the similarities between him and the woman upstairs, that I was in love with, his daughter.

"She's not ready, Charlie. She's been through a lot and she is still trying to sort things out; we are still trying to sort our lives out together and, I can't let anyone, not even you, throw her off track."

"I understand, honestly, I do, but, please, try and understand my side of this; to have your own flesh and blood walking this earth and feel like she has no one who cares. To not get the love and security that every child deserves; you don't know how much it hurts to think that I could have given her all that, but, was robbed of the chance to do so. I _love_ her and I've never even met her, Edward.

_Oh God, does she just have this effect on everyone? I know the feeling Charlie, I know the feeling…_

"Charlie, there are… things… about Bella's past that… that are difficult to…"

Charlie held up his hand to stop me from talking.

"Edward, son, I know all about her ex-husband and prison. You're not the only one with enough money to hire a private investigator. She is still my daughter and I owe her." He said, raising his brows, looking me square in the eyes.

_I think I just decided I really liked my future father in law…_

I laughed down my nose and shook my head.

"She is _definitely_ your daughter." I said, looking up towards the ceiling while putting my hands in the pockets of my jeans.

"Just… give her time, Charlie. How long will you be here?"

"I'm on vacation for two weeks and then I have to be back at the hospital in Chicago. I'm staying at the Four Seasons here in Seattle; anytime she's ready, day or night, so am I."

"I'll talk to her Charlie, however, I can't make any promises, but, I will do my best."

"That's all I ask, son." He said, smiling.

"Will do, Charlie."

"Oh, and Edward, please tell her I said Happy Birthday." He said, handing me a small wrapped box.

He then turned to the doorman and asked for him to get him a cab and I watched as he left to go back to his hotel. Though I did not say it to him, I must admit, I am damned impressed with Charlie Swan. Now, if I could just convince Bella to give him a chance.

**A/N: What will Bella say? Gotta love Charlie, huh? Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me your thoughts in a review, thank you so much!**


	71. Chapter 71

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**I can't thank you guys enough for all the reviews over 1500! You guys are simply just awesome! I appreciate all the support and the reviews you guys leave me mean sooo much to me! I read every one of them and I love the comments and feedback. Please, please, please keep them coming! No let's see how this talk with Bella goes about meeting Charlie sooner than she planned!**

**As always to my beta, thank you, princess07890, you are simply the best!**

**Chapter 70**

**Caught in the Middle **

**EPOV **

As I walked back into my house, I went over in my head a dozen ways to present this to Bella and get a positive outcome. I was thoroughly convinced that Charlie had nothing but the best intentions at heart and wanted nothing more than to get know his daughter. I stood by the front door, holding the gift box he had given me to give to Bella, wondering how she would react to receive anything from Charlie.

"Oh, there you are." I looked up to my father walking towards me.

"Yeah, I was just downstairs, talking to Bella's father."

"How did that go for you?"

"A lot better that I imagined it would. The thing is, he seems like a very decent guy and, I actually feel bad that he was not able to see Bella. I just don't know if she's going to feel the same. He's staying at the Four Seasons downtown for the next two weeks, in hopes that Bella will meet with him."I explained.

"A little bit of advice, son, be very honest with Bella; present her with the option, but let it be her decision on whether or not she wants to meet him. You don't want to push her into something she is not ready for just because you are." Carlisle said, right before eyeing the box in my hand.

"What's in the box?"

"Charlie bought Bella a birthday gift." I said, holding the small box up.

"Wow, that's impressive. He took the time to find out some things about her; sounds like he really wants to get to know Bella. Well, I just came out here to tell you we're all going to head home; will you guys be okay?" Carlisle asked, placing his hands in his pockets and nodding his head back towards our bedroom where Bella and Esme were.

"Yeah, sure we will; we've been through worse." I said, offering a small smile.

After seeing everyone out, I went to check on Junior, who, surprisingly, was still soundly sleeping. As I entered our bedroom, Bella was leaning back against the headboard with her arms wrapped around her knees, holding them to her chest.

"Hey" I said, taking a seat at the end of the bed.

"Hey."

"You want to talk?"

"Edward, I don't know what to say."

"Tell me how you feel."

"Angry."

"Okay, that's a start."

"And scared."

"That's definitely understandable, but, do you know why?"

"I mean, why would he just show up here like that? Did he even consider how that might make me feel? I know he just found out about me, but that does not give him the right to just show up at my door and… and expect me to what? Run into his arms and just embrace him? For all I know, he could be a serial killer or something. I know absolutely nothing about him besides we share the same last name."

I allowed her to rant, because she needed to; I also sat and listened without saying a word, because, once again, she needed me to just be there for her. After several minutes of venting, she finally threw her head back and stared at the ceiling. I stayed quiet for a couple of more minutes just to make sure she was done and I was not interrupting her.

"Do you want to know what happened downstairs?" I asked, hoping to put her mind at ease about Charlie being some "psycho".

She nodded slowly, and I could see the unshed tears in her eyes.

"Charlie attended a medical convention in Vancouver and took advantage of the opportunity to come meet you, since he was less than three hours away."

I looked at her to gage her reaction, but, she kept staring at the ceiling.

"I was fully prepared to go down there and rip him a new one, but, when he looked up at me, all I saw was you and that plan went right out the window. He was kind and very apologetic from the moment I stepped into the lobby and his demeanor was nothing short of pure class."

Bella stretched her legs out and crossed them at the ankle, while folding her arms over her chest. She does that when she is uncomfortable or unsure about something; but I continued anyway.

"It was the weirdest thing, looking at him; you are like his twin, Bella."

Bella did not say anything; she just simply looked down at her hands in her lap as one lonely tear made its way down her cheek. Placing the small gift box on the night stand, I moved to sit down right next to Bella; I used my pointer finger and thumb to lift her chin so I could look into her eyes.

"I know what you are scared of and, if I had been through half of the things you have had to face in life, I would feel the same way. But he won't reject you and, he is doing the best he can to let you know that he will do this on your terms, not his. Give him a chance, love, and, I promise I will never leave your side. You deserve whatever it is he is trying to offer you.

"What's that?" She said, looking at the gift box on the night stand.

"It's uh… your birthday gift, from Charlie; he asked me to give it to you.

Bella's eyes widen in surprise and, she had a look of pure disbelief on her beautiful face.

"How…how did he know it was my birthday? Did you tell him Edward?"

"No, I did not mention your birthday when we talked; like I said, Bella, he is really trying. Would you like to open it?

She stared at the box, then back at me, and then back at the box, as she twisted her hands in her lap.

"What do you think it is?" She asked me after a few minutes of silence.

"I honestly have no idea, but, there's only one way to find out."

Bella slowly reached for the box and, with shaky hands, began to untie the ribbon. She opened the box to reveal a thin platinum necklace with a heart shaped pendant covered with diamonds. I could see the tears pooling in her eyes as she looked at the pendant in her hand. Inscribed on the back of the pendant were the letters A.F.L.I.F. Bella brows furrowed as she tried to decipher the meaning of the letters and then she saw the small card in the gift box. She pulled it out of the small envelope to read it and there, in elegant writing, was the answer to her unspoken question. The card read: _A father's love is forever, Love Always, Charlie Swan._ At that moment the flood gates opened and, Bella let out the loud sobs she had desperately tried to hold back and, I could do nothing but hold her.

After what seemed like forever, her sobs became quieter and Bella sat back with a new look of determination on her face, and then she looked me in the eyes before speaking.

"I think I'm ready to meet Ch… my father."

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading and please leave me your thoughts in a review!**

**This chapter is dedicated to Becky, Happy Birthday honey!**


	72. Chapter 72

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**As always to my beta, thank you, princess07890, you are simply the best!**

**Chapter 71**

**Like Father, Like Daughter **

**Charlie POV **

As I straightened my tie for the umpteenth time, in front of the mirror in my hotel suite, I couldn't help but smile at the idea of my daughter agreeing to meet with me. I have thought about no one else since the day I found out she existed. Lauren, my ex-wife, was surprisingly very supportive about me pursuing a relationship with Isabella; she even encouraged me to introduce her to Brad, so that they could try to develop a sibling bond. I intend to do just that, but, first things first; I have to first get past meeting her and my grandson for the first time myself.

Isabella, Edward, and I will be having lunch in the dining room of my suite to ensure privacy during our visit. As I look at my watch and realize they will arrive in less than 10 minutes, I suddenly feel very nervous and unsure of myself. Being a man full of confidence ninety nine percent of the time, this is very different from normalcy for me. I grab a bottle of water from the mini fridge and walk out on the terrace of my room to get some fresh air. Its damp outside from the constant mist that seems to cover this city and the sun is in its usual place, hiding behind the thick clouds that hover in the sky. I look up at the sky and close my eyes to try and imagine what Isabella will look like. Her mother, Renee, was a beautiful woman from what I can remember.

She had long sandy brown hair and the most stunning gray eyes I had ever seen. I fell in love with her shortly after we started dating, but, unfortunately, Renee was not heading in the same the direction as I was. After a year of being together, I was heading off to college and she had one more year of high school left. The summer before I left, she started growing distant, hanging out with this new group of friends who I knew were trouble. She was always too busy for me and, as the summer rolled to an end, so did my relationship with Renee. She told me we wanted different things and that a long distance relationship would never work between us. I tried to convince her to come to Chicago with me and finish her last year of high school there, so that we could stay together, but she refused. I later found out that the girl I loved had chosen a life of partying and drugs over being with me. I was heartbroken for months and I tried to reach out to her thinking if I could convince her to come with me I could help her.

She always refused; eventually, she stopped taking my calls and cut all communication with me. If I had had any idea she was carrying my child, I would have gone back and fought until my death to make a better life for them, to get her away from that life she had fallen victim to; to save her and my daughter.

A knock on the door startled me out of my trip down memory lane and I quickly made my way back inside, placing the bottled water on the table. I took one more look in the mirror, took a deep breath and walk over to the door. I opened the door and my heart soared as I looked into the eyes of the beautiful woman I had help create. My imagination did her no justice.

"Isabella, I'm so glad you're here." I said, as a warmth that I have never felt before ran through my body.

"Thanks for inviting us." She said with a small smile.

Standing next to her with a diaper bag on his shoulder, holding who I presume to be my grandson, was Edward.

"Please come in and make yourselves at home." I said, picking up the empty baby carrier next to Isabella's feet.

They both sat on the loveseat in the living room of my suite and I sat across from them in a chair. Under normal circumstances, it should be Edward who was nervous about being in my presence while dating my daughter. This would be the part where he is seeking my approval and I intimidate him in every possible way while asking him what his intentions are with my baby girl. But this wasn't "normal" circumstances at all; I am the one on the brink of an anxiety attack, while seeking the approval of my daughter's fiancé, praying that he goes easy on me and sees that my intentions are noble. I watch his protectiveness as he holds my daughter in one arm and my sleeping grandson in the other. I can't help the feeling of relief at knowing he loves them both so much, that he is not willing to let his guard down, at least not until he is sure about me.

"Can I offer you guys something to drink? Water, juice, coffee, tea…?" I asked, trying to break the ice.

"I'll have water." Isabella said with a small smile, while Edward just shook his head.

"They will be bringing lunch up in about thirty minutes; I ordered the soup of the day, New England clam chowder, some Caesar salad, baked chicken breasts, garlic mashed potatoes, and the seasoned asparagus. However I can change that to something different if you would like. There's a menu…"

"No, that sounds really delicious, it's fine, Charlie, really it is." Isabella said, waving off my efforts to get a menu for her.

I sat back down in the chair and there was an awkward silence that fell on the room.

"I need to check his diaper, is there a room I can change him in?" Edward asked, looking at me with an expression that clearly said _"Here's your chance to speak with her alone; don't fuck up!"_

"Uh, yeah, sure, you can use my bedroom or the second bedroom across from it." I said as I stood and walked him to the hall that lead to those rooms, before turning to go sit back down.

"So, Isabella, I can't thank you enough for coming today; it means the world to me."

"You don't have to thank me Charlie, and, please, call me Bella."

"Bella it is." I said, nodding.

"So, how long have you been a doctor?"

"Sixteen years."

"Was medical school hard for you?"

"It was challenging at times, but I had such a passion for it, I think that made it easier. Just knowing, in the end, I would be able to help thousands of people live healthier and happier lives made it seem easier, too."

"Yes, I imagine that must be quite a rewarding feeling." She said, nodding and biting her bottom lip. It must be a nervous habit of hers, because she'd been doing it off and on since they arrived.

"Congrats on becoming a new mom, by the way; how old is he?" I asked, nodding towards the bedroom.

"Edward, Jr. is five months."

"And, Edward, Sr.?"

"Thirty Four."

"Wow, that's quite an age gap… but… older is good." I quickly said, hoping I had not offended her."

"He's really good to us Charlie and I love him with everything in me. With all the craziness that life has thrown at me, he's the one thing I'm absolutely sure about."

"Yeah, well, I can certainly see why, he loves you guys more than life itself; anyone with eyes can see that, kiddo." I said, smiling at her.

I could not get over how beautiful she is, absolutely stunning. I could see hints of her mother, but, to be honest, I felt as if I was looking into a mirror. My heart swelled just knowing I helped create this gorgeous being in front of me. I can't explain it, but my love for her was growing by the minute, like a father holding his newborn child for the first time, and, though she is an adult, the love I feel is all the same.

"Thank you for the beautiful gift." She said, touching the heart pendant on her necklace.

"It's really small compared to all that I have missed giving you."

"That's not your fault; how could you have known?"

"It doesn't make it hurt any less, though."

She nodded as if saying she feels the same pain I do.

"So are you married?"

"Divorced."

"Am I… your only… ch…?"

"Uh, no, you have a younger brother, Brad, he is twenty and also lives in Chicago."

"I see, a brother, huh?" She asked, with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Yep, and he's a great kid Bella; I think you'll love him. He's in his second year of college studying to be an architect."

"That's great, Charlie, and architecture, that's an awesome field. I've never been much of an artist; I can't draw a stick figure, but I have always been fascinated with people who could draw and design things."

"What about you, any plans for college?"

"Actually, yes, I just enrolled at the University of Washington a couple of days ago."

"Really, what is your major?" I asked, excited that she was going to college.

"Pre-med."

I couldn't help the huge smile that spread across my face and the happiness that I felt at that moment.

"Pre-med, really? What area of medicine do you want to practice?" I asked, leaning forward in my seat and I noticed now she is also smiling.

"I want to be an anesthesiologist." She said, while placing a piece of hair behind her ear and it was the cutest thing ever.

"An anesthesiologist? Wow, now those are some big shoes to fill. You will be like the God of every operation room you step into; the entire surgical procedure is governed by the anesthesiologist."

"I know, it's kind of scary sometimes when I think about it. One mistake and the person on the table is dead and it would be all because of me."

I laugh at her dramatics and she actually laughs with me; I feel like I have died and went to heaven. I was flooded with euphoria as I watch her, hating that I had missed twenty four years of her life.

"No, it's not like that kiddo, but, I agree, in that area of practice there is no room for errors. However, I am 150% sure you will make one damn fine doctor. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be as good as your old man; they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"I will do my best to make you proud." She said, sticking out her chest in mockery and we both started laughing again.

Just then, Edward came back into the living room with a now fully awake, bright eyed, beautiful baby boy, my grandson. He had Renee's gray eyes with specs of brown, a head full of soft light brown curls, and pink pouty lips like his mother.

"Hey, sounds like you guys are off to a good start." Edward said, as he took his seat next to Bella.

"Bella here was just telling me her plans to practice medicine and, of course, I couldn't be more elated with that revelation." I said, still smiling at the two of them.

"Yeah, she is a woman with many talents and she can do whatever she puts her mind to." Right then, I felt like I was intruding on an intimate moment between them as they stared into each other's eyes, so full of love.

My grandson starting fussing and Bella excused herself to the bedroom to nurse him, leaving me and the overprotective fiancé/father alone.

"Thank you for giving me that time alone with Bella; she is truly an amazing woman and I am honored to have her as my daughter."

"Yes, she is amazing, Charlie." He said, smiling.

"And thanks for being there for her and my grandson, I owe you."

"No, you don't owe me anything; it wasn't done out of obligation, I love her and our son and their safety and happiness is all that matters to me."

The knock at the door interrupted our conversation and I quickly went to answer it.

"Ah, that would be lunch." I said, as I headed to the door.

The wait staff came in with several trays of food and began to set up in the dining room. After feeding Edward, Jr., Bella joined us at the table to eat and the conversation flowed. She told me a little more about her childhood, both good and bad, and I answered whatever questions I could for her. They told me of their plans to wed soon and I demanded, as father of the bride, to pick up the bill for their special day. Edward and I talked about his practice and how he and his partners came to be. I talked about the highs and lows of my career, my son, Brad, and my ex-wife, Lauren, who is still my best friend. Bella talked about her marriage and the abuse she had to endure which ultimately landed her unjustly in prison. I watched as Edward held her hand in his while rubbing her back with the other to comfort her. Every once in a while he would place a gentle kiss on her temple. I held my grandson and he smiled at me while snatching my glasses off my face and drooling on the lenses. I bounced him on my knee and eventually he fell asleep in my arms, exhausted. It was a day that I wish never had to come to an end, but, like all good things, it did have an ending.

"Charlie, it's been a pleasure, but we have to get this little man home." Edward said, as he stood and helped Bella up off the loveseat. She walked over and I stood to place my grandson in her arms, but not before placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Thank you so much; you guys have no idea what this day means to me." I said, trying my best not to get choked up and miserably failing.

I shook Edward's hand and gave Bella a tight hug and a kiss to her forehead, wishing I could hold on to my baby girl, even if she is an adult now.

"Hey, if you have no plans in the morning, I'm cooking breakfast at about 9 a.m.; you are more than welcome to join us. We can do some more catching up; I really enjoyed spending the day with you." Bella said, smiling, and I didn't think I could have loved her more, but, at that moment, I fell deeper.

"I'll be there with bells on, kiddo."

"Great, we will see you in the morning"

I rode the elevator down to the lobby with them and, after another round of goodbyes, they were gone and suddenly, the morning seemed too far away.

**A/N: So, what do you guys think of their meeting? Was Charlie as good as you guys expected? Please leave me your thoughts in a review and to those who reviewed last chapter I thank you very much! **


	73. Chapter 73

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**As always to my beta, thank you, princess07890, you are simply the best!**

**Chapter 72**

**Expanding the Family?**

**BPOV**

"Edward, sweetheart, I think you are going a little overboard; he is only eight months old. He won't be able to play with most of these toys."

"There is no such thing as overboard when it comes to my son; this is his first Christmas and…."

"And, he will not remember any of this when he is older; now put that toy down and let's go eat. We have been walking around this mall for three hours; you're becoming worse than Alice." I said, laughing at Edward.

It had been three months since I met my dad; today he was flying in so that he could be here for Junior's first Christmas. A lot had taken place in the last three months, including Edward returning to work full time, and, though our schedules are a bit hectic at times, I have to admit, I have never been happier. Last month, we spent Thanksgiving in Chicago with my dad, my brother, Brad, and his mother/my dad's ex-wife Lauren, along with her new husband and two kids. I was nervous about meeting all of them, but Brad and Lauren were wonderful and welcomed us with open arms. I helped Lauren cook while she shared stories with me about my dad and brother. Her husband, Tim, was a quiet man, but he adored her as did my dad; my heart broke for Charlie, knowing how tough it must be watching the person you love make a life with someone else. However, there was no question that Charlie and Lauren were truly best friends and shared a bond that no one could break. Brad and I bonded instantly and his significant other, Dave, was a force to be reckoned with, but kept us in stitches. I could tell Charlie was a little uncomfortable, but he was doing his best to support his son and the love in his eyes when he looked at Brad is undeniable. Lauren made Edward and I promise to visit again soon and we left there with a promise that she, Tim and their two beautiful daughters, Heather and Heidi, would be at our wedding in the spring.

"Babe, what are you thinking about?" Edward said, waving his hand in front of my face to get my attention.

"Huh? Oh… nothing."

"Nothing? Really?"

"Well I was just thinking about Chicago; I really enjoyed Thanksgiving there."

"Yeah, it was pretty cool. Maybe after the New Year we could go back for a visit."

"Now that would be cool." I said, smiling.

After grabbing something to eat, we left the mall and headed home, where Rose and Emmett were watching Junior for us. They were recently engaged and were planning a summer wedding for next year. I could hear Emmett's booming voice as soon as we stepped off the elevator into our foyer and, when Edward opened our front door, my heart soared at the next thing that happened. Emmett was sitting on the floor playing with Junior on his activity blanket, while Rose sat on the couch behind them smiling.

When Junior looked up and saw us, he spoke his first comprehendible words and I watched the man I love melt right before my eyes.

"Da-da" Junior said, holding up his arms for Edward to pick him up. I gasped and Edward instantly dropped every bag in his hand and scooped our son up into his arms kissing him all over his face and neck, causing Junior to laugh.

"Yes, baby, that's right, I'm da-da; I missed you so much today." Edward said, as his continued to kiss and hug his baby boy.

I couldn't help the tears that sprung to my eyes at Junior's first words and the joy I felt for Edward, knowing what hearing that meant for him.

"He's amazing with him." Rose said, smiling at me and breaking me out of my daze.

"Yes, he is." I said, taking a deep breath and fanning away the tears.

"How was shopping?" Rose asked, nodding toward the bags scattered on the floor.

"Oh God, I don't know who is worse, him or Alice. All these bags are for Junior and there's more in the car." I said, rolling my eyes.

Just then, Seth walked in with both his hands filled with more shopping bags.

"Jeez, Eddie, you think you left anything for the other shoppers out there?" Emmett said, laughing, while getting up off the floor; but Edward was too caught up in this moment with his son to respond.

"We're going to head out; we want to catch a movie before we head home." Rose said, standing and grabbing her purse.

"Guys, thank you so much and we'll see you guys at the company Christmas party on Saturday." Edward said, while walking them to door.

Meanwhile, Seth and I carried the shopping bags into the master bedroom.

"Will that be all, ma'am?" Seth asked, after bringing the last of the bags into the room.

"Yes, and, if you call me ma'am one more time, I'll fire you. Please call me Bella; I'm not much older than you, Seth, and, you're more than just the hired help; you're like family." I said, smiling up at him.

"Alright, Bella, I will see you in the morning, goodnight." He said, smirking as he turned on his heels to leave.

"Goodnight, I'll be ready to go at eight tomorrow morning." Edward said, before shutting the front door behind Seth.

I plopped down on the couch, exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to just relax for the evening. Edward came and sat next to me with Junior, while I removed my shoes and socks and sat on my knees with my legs under me. Junior lay on Edward's chest, rubbing his eyes and nose with the back of his hand.

"He's sleepy." Edward said, while kissing the top of his head.

I placed my hand on the back of Edward's neck and began to play with the hair at the nape. He leaned his head against the back of the couch and let out a quiet moan while turning his head to look at me.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." I said and I bent down to kiss his lips.

"How has work been?"

"Busy, very busy, and, with Alice being out of the office so much lately, I've had to do things that I am use to her taking care of, but I'm surviving."

Alice found out she was pregnant about a month ago and, instead of morning sickness, she has all day sickness. She has cut her hours at work down to three days a week and spends most of days either in the bed or in the bathroom. Jasper is worried sick about her and feels horrible that there is nothing he can do to take her sickness away.

"You know, I could always come into the office and help out until Alice returns full time." I offer with a smile.

"No, that's too much Bella. Between school, the work you do here at home with the billing for the firm, and, being a mother, your plate is full."

"Edward, I can still do the billing; I would just do it at the firm instead of in your office here. School doesn't start back up for another three weeks and I'm sure you could use the help."

"What about Junior? Where is he going to be while you are at the office?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Charlie will be here for two weeks and I am sure between him, Carlisle, and Esme, a babysitter is the least of our worries."

"Yeah, I guess you have a point there; I don't know which one of them is worse. My parents wanted to keep him today while we went shopping and I wish you could have seen the disappointment on their faces when I told them that Rose and Emmett were babysitting."

We both laugh at the grandparents, including Charlie, who has flown here four times in the last three months, once with Brad in tow.

"Speaking of the grandparents, Charlie texted me that he missed his flight because of an emergency surgery. He said he would catch a flight out tomorrow morning."

Edward's head shot up and he got a mischievous look on his face.

"So, we have no guests?" He said, waggling his brows.

"Oh, Mr. Cullen, you are so bad…"

Before I could continue, Edward quickly made his way to Junior's room to lay him in his crib and then returned to living room.

"Now, what were you saying about me Miss Swan? Something about me being bad."

"Very bad." I said, giggling, as Edward swept me off the couch and threw me over his shoulder, slapping my ass, which caused me to gasp and squeal.

He placed me on our bed and I quickly moved to the top against the headboard and he crawled up behind me.

"Don't run from me, Miss Swan, it won't save you; _this_ is mine and I say when and where it goes." Edward said, while cupping my sex, causing me to moan loudly.

I could feel his tongue on my neck and I arched my back in anticipation of where his mouth would go next.

"You always smell and taste so good, Bella." He said, as he placed wet kisses down my neck.

He sat back on the heels of his feet and removed my shirt and bra. Then, he then tilted his head slightly to the side and I began to feel a little self-conscious under his gaze. I could feel the blush across my chest moving up to my face.

"What?"

"You are just so beautiful; it's hard to believe you belong to me sometimes."

"I _do_ belong to you, Edward."

He leaned forward and captured my lips so passionately that I lost myself in his kiss.

"Say it again." he demanded, as he took my left nipple into his mouth and I arched my back further.

"I belong to you."I said, grabbing the back of his head as he sucked on my nipple, which sent shivers through me to my heated core.

I could feel how wet he was making me with every touch. I knew I couldn't hold out much longer; I needed to feel him inside of me. I felt Edward unbutton my jeans and I lifted my hips so he could easily remove them and my underwear. He released my nipple and pulled my jeans and underwear off, before standing to take off his own clothes. I licked my lips as I watched his member spring free. I began to crawl on all fours toward him at the end of our bed. I sat up on my knees and wrapped my arms around his neck while pressing my lips to his. He eagerly kissed me back, pushing his tongue into my mouth. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and pulled me close, and I felt his hard member press against my stomach.

"I love you so much." I said as I trailed kisses down his neck, his chest, his stomach, before wrapping my hand around him and taking him into my mouth. I looked up to see Edward's head tilt back and his eyes close as he let out a loud moan.

"Bella, my God, baby, I love you… fuck… I love you." He said, and I felt him gather my hair and hold it in his hand as he gently thrust into my mouth.

I love the way he tasted, the way he smelled, the way he felt, and how turned on he became when we were like this. I increased my speed when I heard his breathing pick up and hollowed out my cheeks as I swirled my tongue against his flesh. I let out a moan to let him know how much I enjoyed giving him this pleasure and I sucked harder and faster while I ran my hand up and down his length. He thrusted harder and faster and, I knew it wouldn't be long before he found his release.

"Bella, baby, I can't hold on much longer." He said, using his free hand to lightly pinch my right nipple, which sent another shiver right to where I needed him the most.

I continued moving faster, making my hand move even harder and faster down his length, holding him a little firmer now and, with one final jerk of his hips, I feel him, I taste him, and take in every drop of him that he gave me.

"Oh, fuuuucckkkk, Bellaaaa… shit, yes, baby."

"Shhh, you're going to wake our little one." I said, as I got back to my knees and kissed him on the lips.

"Baby, you are incredible; you have no idea what you're doing to me." He said, panting for breath.

"I have a pretty good idea." I said, smiling against his lips.

He grabbed the back of my neck with one hand and massaged my aching clit with the thumb of his other; I almost lost it when he sank two fingers inside of me while slowly lying me down.

"Do I do this to you; make you this wet?" He asked, while placing kisses right under my ear.

I nod, unable to form any words at the moment. He kissed my neck and my chest, paying special attention to each hardened nipple. He then moved to my stomach; the anticipation had me writhing beneath him.

"Edward, please, I need you so much; please baby don't tease me." I begged, desperately needing to feel him inside of me.

He circled my navel with his tongue and licked me all the way to my clit; my hips bucked involuntarily. He nipped and gently sucked on my clit while moved his two fingers inside of me, which brought me closer to my orgasm. With each pump of his long fingers hitting me in just the right spot, I began to feel the familiar coil in my stomach and, with one more curl of his fingers, I was there. I came all of his fingers while singing his name.

"Eddddwwwaarrrddd, oh Edddwwwwaaardd, I'm coming…I'm coming baby. Yes…so…good, baby!"

"Tell me, Bella."

"I looovvve you!"

"Tell me."

"I love only you, Edward, only you!" I said, as I tried to catch my breath.

Edward came back up, placing soft kisses on my lips, my neck, and right below my ear.

"And I love only you, Bella." He said, before he slammed into me, taking me by surprise, but bringing me more pleasure than he could ever imagine.

I relished in the feeling of our flesh moving together; the way he owned my body and how he made it dance to his rhythm, only _his_ rhythm. The way he gave himself to me completely, because I owned him, too. We are both slaves and masters, dominants and submissive, leaders and followers, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end to and for one another. Nothing, or no one, could ever break the chain that links our minds, our souls, and our hearts; we are forever bound by a bond so strong, that only God in heaven can truly comprehend it.

"Harder, baby, harder…fuck me like you want to Edward." I cry, because I wanted him to hold nothing back.

He did not disappoint; he slammed into me harder and faster. I felt my walls tighten around him as he continued to drive into me.

"Shit, Bella, you feel so damn good baby…I love you so much."

He held his weight on his hands and used his shoulders to push the back of my thighs up. The sound of his flesh slapping mine echoed throughout our bedroom as he drove deeper and harder into my soaked center and, with one more thrust, I fell over the edge; coming so hard, that I was temporarily disoriented. Edward found his release again, right behind me, calling out my name in pure ecstasy. As we clung to each other, trying to get out breathing under control, his next words are what catapulted me back into reality.

"Bella, baby, I'm ready for you to give me another baby, a daughter."

What the fuck? Is he serious?

**A/N: Okay guys, there you go, Edward has officially lost his mind, or, at least Bella thinks so! Lol! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I want to thanks all those who reviewed this story, we are over 1600 reviews, woohoo! Please leave me your thoughts in a review because I read all of them and love hearing from you.**


End file.
